The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has officially confirmed two major leadership appointments, naming Sergen Yalcin as the head coach of the senior national football team and appointing former English Premier League referee Anthony Taylor as the chairman of its Central Referees’ Committee (MHK). The federation's executive board approved both decisions on Tuesday.
Yalcin, 53, is set to sign a four-year contract alongside his coaching staff. A former Türkiye international, Yalcin boasts an extensive domestic managerial career, having led clubs such as Gaziantepspor, Sivasspor, Kayserispor, Konyaspor, Alanyaspor, Yeni Malatyaspor, and Antalyaspor. His most significant success arrived during the 2020-21 season when he guided Besiktas to a Super Lig and Turkish Cup double, becoming the first individual in the club's history to win the league title as both a player and head coach. His playing career was equally historic, as he was the first player to represent all four of Türkiye’s major clubs: Besiktas, Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, and Trabzonspor. At the international level, he earned 37 caps and scored five goals for Türkiye, participating in the 1996 and 2000 UEFA European Championships. This appointment represents his first tenure as the head coach of the national side.
Simultaneously, the TFF has tapped 47-year-old Anthony Taylor to lead the MHK, making him the first foreign national to hold the position. Taylor, who retired from professional officiating following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, previously joined the federation in August as its director of elite referees. His career includes officiating major international matches, such as the 2023 UEFA Europa League final and the FIFA Club World Cup final. In his new role, Taylor will collaborate with newly appointed members Alan Snoddy, Igor Radojcic, and Baris Simsek. The TFF recently announced that referee appointments for Süper Lig matches will now be determined based on Taylor’s technical assessments, reflecting a shift toward utilizing his expertise in the domestic officiating structure.
