Sports
Fenerbahçe enter new era with Chobani’s global sponsorship deal
Fenerbahçe have entered a new era with a historic sponsorship deal that not only renames their iconic stadium but redefines their place in the global football landscape.
In a landmark agreement with U.S.-based food company Chobani, Fenerbahçe have signed a 5+5-year contract for stadium naming rights and a parallel 2+3-year kit sponsorship for European matches.
The deal will see the club earn 10 million euros ($15 million) annually for the stadium rights, with additional income from jersey sponsorships tied to its performance in European competitions.
High-profile ceremony
The partnership was officially announced at a high-profile press conference held at the newly renamed Chobani Stadium.
Club president Ali Koç, secretary general Burak Çağlan Kızılhan, Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, CFO Tarkan Gürkan and other senior officials gathered to unveil what they described as a transformative step in Fenerbahçe’s journey to becoming a global sports brand.
“Value to Turkish sport”
Kızılhan opened the proceedings by expressing gratitude to Ülker, the previous stadium sponsor for over a decade.
He called the new partnership one of the most significant in Fenerbahçe’s history and highlighted the club’s lengthy search for a global partner that shared its values and ambitions. After months of negotiations, he said, the club found that partner in Chobani, one of the fastest-growing food brands in the world.
“This is not just a deal for Fenerbahçe,” Kızılhan said. “It is a partnership that adds value to Turkish sport. Hamdi Ulukaya is a name that built something from nothing in America, a true entrepreneur who never forgot his roots and never turned his back on this country.”
“Shared dream”
President Ali Koç followed with a powerful address, describing the agreement as the most valuable sponsorship in Turkish football history and among the highest of its kind in Europe.
He noted that this is only the second time the club has entered into a naming rights deal, emphasizing that such moves are still relatively rare on the continent.
Koç praised Ulukaya’s devotion to Fenerbahçe, calling him a lifelong supporter whose involvement gave the partnership a deeper significance.
“This isn’t just a sponsorship. This is a commitment to a shared dream,” Koç said. “We’re not just changing the name of a stadium. We’re underlining our determination to grow as a club that commands global attention. Fenerbahçe are taking measured steps toward becoming a world-renowned brand.”
Transfer questions and financial independence
When asked whether Chobani would be involved in player transfers, Koç dismissed the need, saying Ulukaya had already gone above and beyond expectations and hadn’t even negotiated terms. He left the door open for a surprise, adding, “Even today, something could happen.”
Koç also used the moment to underline the club’s improved financial position, revealing that Fenerbahçe have paid nearly 133 million euros in interest since the beginning of their debt restructuring program and that financial independence was now within reach. He said partnerships like the one with Chobani could pave the way for more international collaborations.
“This is personal”
Hamdi Ulukaya, who emigrated from Türkiye to the U.S. at 22 with little more than a suitcase and a dream, said becoming a sponsor of the club he grew up loving was deeply personal. He recounted leaving home that morning with his wife, pausing for a photo and remarking, “There could be no better day than this.”
“If Ali Koç hadn’t called, if he hadn’t convinced us, we wouldn’t be here today,” Ulukaya said. “This is not just about naming a stadium or putting a logo on a jersey. This is a long-term commitment. We’re not just Fenerbahçe’s sponsor. We’re their partner.”
Broader impact in Türkiye
He pledged one million dollars annually to support the education of children – especially girls – in Türkiye’s earthquake-affected regions and said that Chobani’s presence in the country would extend beyond sport.
Plans are already in motion to launch Chobani’s operations in Türkiye, and Ulukaya expressed confidence that the partnership would set an example for other global companies to invest locally.
“There’s no better time to invest in Türkiye,” he said. “No country in the world offers this much opportunity, even amidst all the challenges. Fenerbahçe are Türkiye’s gateway to the world. If Fenerbahçe succeed in Europe, everyone will talk about them, and the whole ecosystem benefits.”
He also revealed plans to finalize a similar sponsorship deal in the United States within the next two months, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host.
Ulukaya said that if Fenerbahçe’s brand value continues to rise, Chobani will meet any future sponsorship valuation – or help secure another brand that can.
Ülker’s continued commitment
While the sponsorship marks the end of Ülker’s naming rights at the stadium, the company announced it would continue supporting Fenerbahçe across multiple fronts.
Ülker will remain the kit sponsor for the club’s football team under its “Halley” brand and maintain its branding within the stadium.
It will also continue sponsoring the club’s men’s and women’s basketball teams at the Ülker Sports and Event Hall, opened in 2012 in Ataşehir.
Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri acknowledged Thursday that the title fight has effectively narrowed to a duel between him and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
The Australian holds a 16-point lead over Norris heading into this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix – the final race before the August break.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen sits third, trailing by a daunting 81 points with 11 races left, a gap that looks nearly impossible to close given McLaren’s current form.
“When asked if it’s now a two-horse race, Piastri replied, ‘I suppose so.’”
While both drivers and McLaren officials previously resisted declaring early dominance, mounting evidence now makes that stance increasingly difficult to maintain.
“Every weekend now, or the last few weekends anyway, it has been Lando and me. I expect our competition to still be strong and put up a good fight, especially at certain tracks through the rest of the year,” Piastri said.
“Whether that comes from Max or Ferrari or Mercedes or someone else, we never really know. I’m not too concerned about what happens in that. I’m just trying to win each race and extend the lead.”
Piastri took his first Formula One win at the Hungaroring last year, while Norris was on pole.
McLaren has had six one-two finishes in 13 races, with Piastri winning six times so far and Norris four. Verstappen has two victories.
The team has scored 516 points and is already a mighty 268 points clear of second-place Ferrari.
“Hungary has been historically a good track for us as a team, certainly the two years I’ve been with the team. I expect us to be strong again this weekend,” Piastri said.
The 24-year-old said he had full confidence in himself to come out on top by the end of the year.
“Not every weekend has been perfect, but there aren’t many weekends in my whole life that have been perfect,” he said.
“Just trying to put together a solid, consistent year is ultimately going to be important. The pace in the last few weekends, especially Spa, I’ve been very confident in and very proud of.
“I’m more than capable of continuing that for the rest of the year. I’m confident that I can do it, but it’s not going to be easy.”
Galatasaray have signed striker Victor Osimhen from Serie A side Napoli for 75 million euros ($85.7 million), the Süper Lig champions announced on Thursday.
The figure makes the 26-year-old Nigerian the most expensive incoming transfer in Turkish football history.
Osimhen’s transfer shattered the previous record set by Fenerbahçe when they signed Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla on a five-year contract for 20 million euros in July last year.
As part of the deal that ended weeks of negotiations, SSC Napoli will receive 10% of any future profit from Osimhen’s next transfer, Galatasaray said in a statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP).
“A four-year contract has been signed with the player, starting from the 2025-2026 season” the club said.
Osimhen, who arrived in Istanbul late Wednesday, will earn 15 million euros per season in net guaranteed salary, the statement said.
He will also get a net loyalty bonus of 1 million euros per season and 5 million euros as image rights payments – compensating for the use of his name, image and likeness in the club’s branding and promotional activities.
Napoli also confirmed the terms of the deal.
Negotiations between Galatasaray and Serie A champions had been ongoing for several weeks but had stalled over the terms of payment for the transfer.
Osimhen was absent as Napoli resumed training at the start of the week as the finer details of the deal were concluded.
He had been linked with a move away from Napoli last year but the Nigeria international had seen a permanent move collapse on deadline day of the close season transfer window.
A key figure in Napoli’s 2023 title triumph, Osimhen spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, scoring 37 goals and providing 8 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
He finished the season as the top scorer in the Süper Lig with 26 goals as the Istanbul club claimed their 25th league crown.
One year ago, at the Paris Olympics, a 51-year-old Turkish marksman stepped up to the firing line and made history, not just with a medal, but with a mood.
Yusuf Dikeç, the veteran shooter and retired gendarmerie officer, didn’t just win Türkiye’s first-ever Olympic shooting medal.
He did it with one hand in his pocket, both eyes open, and the demeanor of a man waiting for his coffee.
Silver in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event never looked so nonchalant.
Dikeç, alongside teammate Şevval İlayda Tarhan, posted 582 in the qualification round and pushed Serbia’s Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec to the brink in a tense final.
But the scoreboard only told half the story.
Online, his image – stoic face, pocketed hand, basic prescription glasses – erupted into a viral storm.
Nicknames poured in: The Turkish John Wick. The Chillest Olympian Alive. One meme read, “When you’re an assassin but still have Olympic duties at 5.”
In a field dominated by high-tech visors, specialty lenses, and noise-canceling headsets, Dikeç showed up in a white national team T-shirt, yellow earplugs, and calm that cut through the noise.
He shot not like a tech-reliant pro but like a backyard legend who wandered into the Games by accident–and then stole the show.
The internet crowned him its hero.
Social media lit up with fan art and tributes, some imagining him accidentally qualifying for the Games while shooting cans in his backyard.
By the following day, he was trending worldwide.
But behind the memes was a decorated marksman with medals from the World Championships and European tournaments and a career that started long before viral fame.
A four-time Olympian since 2008, Dikeç had always trusted instinct over equipment.
His unorthodox style – both eyes open, no eye cover, hand in pocket – wasn’t rebellion. It was rhythm.
“I’ve learned to trust myself,” Dikeç told Turkish media. “I don’t think about the crowd or the cameras. I focus on the target.”
His coolness caught on.
South Korea’s Oh Ye-jin struck his trademark pose on the podium after winning gold in the men’s 10m pistol.
Archers, fencers, and fans mimicked the stance across venues. Dikeç had started a trend without trying.
When he returned to Türkiye, he was met like a conquering hero.
Thousands greeted him at Istanbul Airport.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called his achievement “a historic moment for Turkish sports.” Billboards across Istanbul and Ankara showed his iconic silhouette with the words: Yusuf Dikeç: Cool Under Pressure.
His silver was Türkiye’s third medal in Paris, but it was the story of the Games.
Because beyond the podium, Yusuf Dikeç gave the world something rare in modern sports: a reminder that style doesn’t have to be loud, and greatness doesn’t need to be flashy.
Sometimes, a tucked-in hand and a quiet stare are all it takes to own the world stage.
With a Champions League qualifier looming, Fenerbahçe capped off their 2025 preseason preparations in style, edging Serie A side Lazio 1-0 Wednesday at a buzzing Chobani Stadium, thanks to a captain’s performance and winning strike from İrfan Can Kahveci.
The win marks a strong finish to José Mourinho’s summer training campaign as the Yellow Canaries now shift focus to their third qualifying round first-leg clash against Feyenoord on Aug. 6 in Rotterdam.
Kahveci delivers again
After a goalless first half, it was 30-year-old midfielder İrfan Can Kahveci who broke through in the 60th minute.
Latching onto a sharp assist from new signing Youssef En-Nesyri, Kahveci coolly slotted home his third goal of the preseason – a moment that sealed the win and capped a captain’s performance.
He exited to loud applause in the 73rd minute, replaced by Cengiz Ünder.
Kahveci’s resurgence under Mourinho this summer, after previously featuring off the bench last season, signals a major role ahead for the veteran midfielder.
New faces, familiar impact
The match also marked Kadıköy debuts for summer signings Archie Brown and Jhon Duran.
Brown, the 21-year-old English left-back, continued his promising form after a solid Portugal training camp.
Duran, who had featured off the bench in previous friendlies, earned a starting nod but made way for En-Nesyri just before Kahveci’s goal.
Meanwhile, defender Jayden Oosterwolde returned to the pitch for the first time in nearly 10 months following ACL surgery, earning a starting spot and looking sharp throughout – a major boost for Fenerbahçe’s backline depth.
Skriniar spotted in the stands
Slovakia international Milan Skriniar, fresh off a half-season loan with the club, was seen watching from the stands as transfer talks for a permanent deal continue.
The 30-year-old center back landed in Istanbul earlier Wednesday and is expected to finalize negotiations in the coming days.
Modern upgrades, classic atmosphere
The evening also saw the debut of Chobani Stadium’s new high-definition scoreboards – part of the club’s ongoing stadium modernization project.
But it was the return of Fenerbahçe’s passionate fans, filling the ground for the first time in two months, that truly set the scene.
Chants echoed throughout the night, providing the energy for a convincing final preseason display.
All eyes on Rotterdam
With preparations complete, Fenerbahçe now face their first major test of the 2025–26 season.
They’ll head to the Netherlands next week to take on Feyenoord in a pivotal UEFA Champions League qualifier – with the return leg set for home turf.
Lionel Messi made a dazzling return from suspension with two assists – including a last-gasp winner – as Inter Miami edged Mexico’s Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener Wednesday night.
Fresh off a one-game ban for skipping the MLS All-Star Game, Messi threaded a perfect pass to Marcelo Weigandt, who buried the winner in the final seconds of stoppage time. The Argentine icon also teed up Telasco Segovia’s 58th-minute opener after receiving a slick ball from Sergio Busquets.
“It’s a tournament we always show up for,” Messi said in Spanish during a post-match interview with Apple TV. “We played really well against a very good team.”
Rivaldo Lozano equalized for the Guadalajara-based club in the 80th minute. Weigandt’s goal in the 96th was initially ruled offside before being confirmed by video review.
The assist marked Messi’s fifth of July. He was recently named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month after scoring eight goals and helping Miami go 4-1-1 in league play.
Both sides had chances in a chippy first half that featured a brief heated exchange between Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano and Atlas coach Gonzalo Pineda after an Atlas player went down.
“It’s just a soccer situation,” Pineda said through an interpreter. He added that he was upset when play continued. “I was protesting that play. I told him (Mascherano) it was nothing against him, just a soccer play. We talked about it in the dressing room – nothing beyond that.”
Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made three first-half saves, including one in which he slid across goal to deny Eduardo Aguirre’s back-post header. Luis Suárez struck the crossbar just before halftime.
Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s longtime national teammate, made his Inter Miami debut after officially signing with the club last week.
After Weigandt’s goal was confirmed, fireworks lit up Chase Stadium. Messi pumped his fist and embraced De Paul and Suárez in celebration.
Pineda said he was surprised to see Messi celebrate so passionately, given his long history of playing in high-stakes matches.
“He’s won so much,” Pineda said. “He’s usually quite even-keeled.”
Mascherano said the reaction was a reflection of the tension in the match.
“We play to win,” Mascherano said through an interpreter. “That’s what this beautiful sport is about. The way we celebrated was probably just a way to vent how we felt at the time. We won a game that we didn’t play brilliantly, and at the final second, in an epic way, we were able to win it.”
Victor Osimhen is back in Istanbul, and this time, it’s permanent.
The Nigerian striker, who captured Galatasaray hearts last season with his golden boot-winning loan spell, touched down at Atatürk Airport late Tuesday night to a thunderous reception.
Thousands of fans flooded the General Aviation Terminal, waving flags, chanting and igniting flares in a celebration worthy of a league title.
“I’m home,” Osimhen told reporters after stepping off the jet. “Look at the crowd, look at the love. This is where I want to be.”
Osimhen’s return caps off weeks of high-stakes negotiations between Galatasaray and Italian side Napoli, where the 26-year-old had been under contract.
Galatasaray Sportif AŞ Vice President Abdullah Kavukcu personally flew to Germany to finalize the deal and escort Osimhen back to Türkiye on a private jet, signaling just how committed the club was to bringing their man home.
The striker’s agent, George Gardi, described the transfer as complex, but said Osimhen’s determination to rejoin Galatasaray played a decisive role in sealing it.
“Victor really wanted this,” Gardi said. “Napoli was tough to deal with, but Galatasaray showed Europe what kind of project they’re building. This was an incredible transfer that proves the club’s vision – to be among Europe’s elite, not just Türkiye’s.”
The reception Osimhen received reinforced just how much he means to the club and its supporters.
After clearing passport control, he waved the club’s red-and-yellow flag, led fans in the traditional “üçlü” chant, and took time to acknowledge supporters who had waited for hours to greet him.
In one emotional moment, he stepped away from his security detail to meet two disabled fans in the crowd, posing for photos and sharing a heartfelt exchange that quickly went viral online.
Such gestures highlight why Osimhen’s bond with Galatasaray runs deeper than most player-club relationships. His return is not just a high-profile signing – it’s a homecoming.
Central to the narrative of this transfer has been the phrase “Solo il Gala,” or “Only Galatasaray,” a slogan that took on a life of its own during the saga. Coined by Italian media and embraced by fans, it became a symbol of Osimhen’s unwavering loyalty.
“That’s been the only thing on my mind since the start of the year,” Osimhen said. “Now it’s time to focus, to meet the goals the coach and club have set. I want to give everything this season.”
That season, already brimming with expectation, now carries even greater weight. Under head coach Okan Buruk, Galatasaray are targeting more than another Süper Lig crown – they’re eyeing a breakthrough in the UEFA Champions League.
And with Osimhen back leading the line, their ambition suddenly feels much more tangible.
Last season, Osimhen’s goals were the difference as Galatasaray reclaimed the domestic title. His pace, physicality, and clinical finishing redefined the team’s attacking threat. Now, with his return confirmed, fans are dreaming even bigger.
Gardi emphasized that Osimhen didn’t just return for trophies – he returned because he belongs. “This is not about money or fame,” he said. “Victor is emotionally invested in this club.”
The message from Galatasaray is equally clear. Securing a striker of Osimhen’s caliber amid interest from other major European clubs speaks volumes about where the club sees itself.
As the new season looms, Osimhen is ready to pick up where he left off – and perhaps, take the story even further.
“The story continues,” he said. “And I’m proud it’s continuing here.”
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