Saffet Sancaklı

Saffet Sancaklı — Biography

Saffet Sancaklı is a Turkish footballer-turned-politician of Bosniak descent, born on 27 February 1966 in Tutin, in what is now Serbia, before his family emigrated to Turkey. As a forward, he played for clubs including Kültürspor, Vefa, Beşiktaş, Eskişehirspor, Konyaspor, Sarıyer, Kocaelispor, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, scoring close to 130 goals in the Turkish league.

After retiring from football, he became a co-owner and sporting director of İstanbulspor and also ran his own FIFA-licensed player agency. He entered politics with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), standing as a candidate in Istanbul in the 2011 general election and for mayor of Kocaeli in the 2014 local elections before being elected as a member of parliament for Kocaeli in both 2015 general elections. He announced his resignation from the party in December 2023 and rejoined MHP in April 2024.

Sancaklı continues to serve in the Turkish parliament, and in 2025-2026 he was frequently in the news commenting on the football betting scandal and taking part in MHP party activities in the Kocaeli region.