Dursun Özbek Elected Galatasaray President for the 4th Time

At Galatasaray, who won their fourth consecutive championship in the Süper Lig, the management agenda became clear. The yellow-red club's ordinary elective general assembly meeting began at 10:00 on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in the Tevfik Fikret Hall of Galatasaray High School. In the general assembly where the club's 105th-term board would be determined, incumbent president Dursun Özbek took part as the sole candidate. In the general assembly where a sufficient majority was not required, the council committee was first formed, and after a moment of silence and the National Anthem, the election process began.

The details of the election process revealed the participation rate. In the general assembly where around 10,000 members had the right to vote, a total of 2,079 members cast their votes across 12 ballot boxes. As of 15:00, the ballot boxes closed and the voting process ended. After the count, Dursun Özbek was re-elected president with 1,780 valid votes in the election he entered as the sole candidate. Ahmet Kemal Kumkumoğlu undertook the role of council chairman in the general assembly. Thus, Özbek officially began his fourth presidential term at the yellow-red club.

Dursun Özbek's Galatasaray presidency journey dates back to 2015. Özbek was first elected as the club's 36th president in the ordinary election general assembly held in 2015. He then began his second presidential term in the extraordinary election general assembly held in June 2022. In the ordinary election in May 2024, he was re-elected president and entered his third term. With this latest election, Özbek was appointed to a fourth presidential term covering the 2026-2028 period. His terms took shape respectively as 2015-2018, 2022-2024, 2024-2026, and now 2026-2028.

The new term carries the potential for a historic achievement for Özbek. Galatasaray Club President Dursun Özbek will become the second-longest-serving president in the club's history if he completes his two-year term in the new period. Having sat in the presidential seat for around 6 years and 7 months to date, Özbek will rise to second place by surpassing Suphi Batur (8 years 2 months), Selahattin Beyazıt (7 years 8 months), and Ali Uras (7 years 1 month). While 38 different people have served as president in the club's 121-year history, its founder and first president Ali Sami Yen stands at the top in this area with a tenure of around 14 years.

In the thank-you speech he made after the election, Özbek delivered messages of unity. Making statements at the ballot box and afterward, Özbek said, "Dear Galatasaray members, by casting our votes in today's election, we came together at Galatasaray's festival of democracy. I thank our members who were here and showed their will." Stating that they experienced an election process with a single candidate, Özbek interpreted the message given by the members as "we will continue and now we will do better." The president emphasized that there is an opportunity to write a story full of successes for Galatasaray in the new term.

Özbek's statements contained clues about the goals of the new term. Saying, "In the new term, there is an opportunity to write a brand-new story full of successes for Galatasaray. We have a historic responsibility for this. Now is the time to work, we will work without stopping," Özbek expressed that they would achieve the dreams they established together and completed his speech with the words "Long live Galatasaray!" The main board list Özbek submitted to the council committee included names such as Metin Öztürk, Sedat Artukoğlu, Eray Yazgan, Can Natan, Mecit Mert Çetinkaya, Mehmet Saruhan Cibara, Abdullah Kavukcu, Mehmet Burak Kutluğ, Fatih Demircan, and Özen Kuzu.

In conclusion, Dursun Özbek's election as Galatasaray president for the fourth time is being evaluated as an indicator of management stability at the club. This election, which took place after four consecutive Süper Lig championships, means a renewal of mandate for the current management. The election, which passed with a single candidate, consolidated Özbek's position within the club. In the new term, sustaining sporting successes and strengthening the club's financial structure will be among the management's priorities. Özbek's performance in the 2026-2028 period will be closely watched both on the pitch and in institutional terms.