Fenerbahçe S.K. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fenerbahçe S.K.

Full name	Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü
Nicknames	Sarı Kanaryalar (The Yellow Canaries) Sarı Lacivertliler (The Yellow-Navy Blues) Efsane (The Legend) Cumhuriyet (The Republic)
Short name	FB Fener
Sport	Multiple
School	Fenerbahçe University
Founded	3 May 1907; 118 years ago (1907-05-03) as Phener-Bagtche Football Club
Based in	Istanbul, Turkey
Home ground	Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium Ülker Sports Arena
Colors	Yellow and Navy blue
Anthem	Yaşa Fenerbahçe (Viva Fenerbahçe)
President	Ali Koç
Secretary	Burak Kızılhan
Titles	Intercontinental titles: 1 European titles: 15 Balkan titles: 3
Mascot	Yellow canary
Local media	Fenerbahçe TV
Website	Fenerbahçe S.K.

Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü, often called Fenerbahçe or just Fener, is a big sports club from Istanbul, Turkey. It has many different teams that compete in sports like football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, swimming, sailing, boxing, rowing, and eSports. Over the years, Fenerbahçe has won many titles both in Turkey and around the world.

Fenerbahçe is one of Turkey's oldest and most successful multi-sport clubs. They have won 18 international titles, including 14 major European titles and one World Championship. They also have three regional Balkan titles across five sports. These sports are football, basketball, wheelchair basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. Fenerbahçe is one of only a few clubs in Europe to have won European titles in ten different sports categories.

Fenerbahçe is one of the most popular clubs in Turkey. Millions of fans support them both in Turkey and globally. In 2008, the club was even recognized by Guinness World Records. This was for having a huge number of medals and trophies across its nine departments, totaling 1134 cups and medals.

Club History: How Fenerbahçe Started

Beginning of a Legend

Fenerbahçe began as a football club in 1907 in Istanbul, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded by Ziya Songülen, Ayetullah Bey, and Necip Okaner. They had to start the club secretly. This was because the ruler, Sultan Abdul Hamid II, did not allow Turkish youth to form clubs or play football.

The club's name comes from the Fenerbahçe neighborhood in Istanbul. The name means "lighthouse garden" in Turkish. This refers to a historic lighthouse on Fenerbahçe Cape.

Ziya Songülen was chosen as the first president. The club's first logo showed a lighthouse with yellow and white daffodil colors. Their first uniforms also had yellow and white stripes. In 1910, the logo and colors changed. Hikmet Topuzer redesigned the badge, and the colors became yellow and navy blue. These have been the club's famous colors ever since.

Fenerbahçe's activities were kept secret until 1908. After a new law, all football clubs had to register to be legal. Fenerbahçe joined the Istanbul League in 1909. They finished fifth in their first year.

The club played against teams made up of British soldiers. These soldiers were part of the forces occupying Istanbul during the Turkish War of Independence. Fenerbahçe won many of these matches. One famous win was the General Harrington Cup in 1923. Fenerbahçe beat the British occupation forces team 2-1 in the final.

• 

  Atatürk visiting the club.

• 

  Fenerbahçe fans at Taksim Stadium in 1932.

Fenerbahçe's Many Sports Teams

Fenerbahçe has many successful sports teams. The men's football team is the most famous. They have won a record 28 Turkish championship titles. This makes them the most successful football club in Turkey. In 1968, they won the Balkans Cup. This was the first international trophy for a Turkish football team.

The men's basketball team is also very strong. They were the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague in the 2016–17 season. They have also played against an NBA team and won. They reached the EuroLeague Final Four seven times, which is a Turkish record. In the 2024–25 season, they achieved a historic "Triple Crown." This means they won three major titles in one season.

In 2023, the women's basketball team won the EuroLeague Women. They beat another Turkish team, ÇBK Mersin Yenişehir, 99–60 in the final. This made Fenerbahçe the first club ever to win European championships in both men's and women's basketball. Later that year, they also won the FIBA Europe SuperCup Women. They beat France's LDLC ASVEL Féminin by a huge 57-point difference. In 2024, they won the EuroLeague Women again, becoming back-to-back champions.

Fenerbahçe's women's volleyball team made history in 2010. They won the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship without losing a single game. This made them the first Turkish club to be World Champions in an Olympic team sport. They also won the CEV Women's Champions League in 2011–12. In 2014, they won the Women's CEV Cup.

The men's volleyball team won the CEV Challenge Cup in 2013–14. On the same day, the women's team won the CEV Cup. This made Fenerbahçe the only club in Turkey to win European titles in both men's and women's volleyball. They also won the Balkan Champions title in 2009 and 2013.

The table tennis teams are among the best in Turkey and Europe. The women's team won the ETTU Cup twice in a row (2011–12 and 2012–13). They were also the first Turkish team to play in a European Champions League Final. In 2015, they won the Champions League without losing. This was the only "Triple Crown" for a Turkish table tennis team.

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  The first men's football team in 1907-08.

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  A fan display during a EuroLeague Basketball match.

Club Logo and Colors

Fenerbahçe has mostly used the same club logo since it started. It has only had small changes. The logo was designed by Hikmet Topuzer in 1910. It was made into lapel pins in London.

The logo has five colors, each with a special meaning:

• The white part, with "Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü ★ 1907 ★" written on it, means purity and open-heartedness.
• The red part shows love for the club and represents the Turkish flag.
• The yellow part stands for others' envy and jealousy towards Fenerbahçe.
• The navy blue part means nobility.
• The green oak leaf, rising from the yellow and navy sections, shows the strength and power of being a Fenerbahçe member. The green color also means that Fenerbahçe's success is very important.

Hikmet Topuzer explained how he designed the emblem. He wanted it to show "Serving the club with dependence from heart."

• 

  Hikmet Topuzer.

• 

  Tevfik Haccar Taşçı.

• 

  Cover of an Ottoman sports magazine from 1913, showing Fenerbahçe's original colors.

Fenerbahçe's Trophies and Wins

Sport	Competition	Result	Year
Men's football	Balkans Cup	Winners	1968
Women's boxing	European Champions Cup	Runners-up	1999
Women's basketball	EuroCup Women	Runners-up	2004–05
Men's table tennis	ETTU Cup	Runners-up	2007–08
Men's volleyball	Balkan Cup	Winners	2009
Women's volleyball	CEV Women's Champions League	Runners-up	2009–10
Women's volleyball	FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship	Winners	2010
Women's volleyball	CEV Women's Champions League	Winners	2011–12
Women's table tennis	ETTU Cup	Winners	2011–12
Women's table tennis	ETTU Cup	Winners	2012–13
Women's volleyball	Women's CEV Cup	Runners-up	2012–13
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Runners-up	2012–13
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Runners-up	2013–14
Men's volleyball	Balkan Cup	Winners	2013
Men's volleyball	CEV Challenge Cup	Winners	2013–14
Women's volleyball	Women's CEV Cup	Winners	2013–14
Women's table tennis	European Champions League	Runners-up	2013–14
Women's table tennis	European Champions League	Winners	2014–15
Women's athletics	European Champion Clubs Cup	Runners-up	2015
Men's basketball	Euroleague	Runners-up	2015–16
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Runners-up	2016–17
Men's basketball	EuroLeague	Winners	2016–17
Men's basketball	EuroLeague	Runners-up	2017–18
Men's athletics	European Champion Clubs Cup	Runners-up	2019
Wheelchair basketball	EuroCup 3	Winners	2019
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Runners-up	2021–22
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Winners	2022–23
Wheelchair basketball	EuroCup 2	Winners	2023
Women's basketball	FIBA Europe SuperCup Women	Winners	2023
Women's basketball	EuroLeague Women	Winners	2023–24
Wheelchair basketball	EuroCup 1	Winners	2024
Women's basketball	FIBA Europe SuperCup Women	Winners	2024
Men's basketball	EuroLeague	Winners	2024–25

Fenerbahçe's Active Sports Teams

Men's Football Team

The men's football team is the oldest part of the club, started in 1907. They have won a record 28 Turkish championship titles. This includes 19 Super League titles. In 1968, they won the Balkans Cup, which was the first international trophy for a Turkish football club.

• Turkish Football Championships: 28 titles (a record!)
  • Süper Lig (since 1959): 19 wins
  • Turkish National Division (1937–1950): 6 wins (record)
  • Turkish Football Championship (1924–1951): 3 wins (shared record)

• National Cups: 26 wins
  • Turkish Cup: 7 wins
  • Turkish Super Cup: 9 wins
  • Prime Minister's Cup: 8 wins (record)
  • Atatürk Cup: 1 win (shared record)
  • Spor Toto Cup: 1 win

• Regional Competitions:
  • Istanbul Football League: 16 wins (record)
  • Istanbul Football Cup: 1 win
  • Istanbul Shield: 4 wins (record)

• International Competitions:
  • Balkans Cup: 1 win

• Other Competitions:
  • Atatürk Cup: 1 win (shared record)
  • General Harrington Cup: 1 win
  • Fleet Cup: 4 wins (record)
  • TSYD Cup: 12 wins (shared record)
  • TSYD Challenge Cup: 2 wins (record)

Women's Football Team

The women's football team was first started in 1995 and then restarted in 2021. They play in the Turkish Women's Football Super League.

Men's Basketball Team

The men's basketball team was first founded in 1913. It was restarted in its current form in 1944. Fenerbahçe is one of the most successful basketball clubs in Turkey. They were the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague. They have also won 15 Turkish championship titles.

• European Competitions:
  • EuroLeague: 2 wins (2016–17, 2024–25)

• National Competitions:
  • Turkish League: 15 wins
  • Turkish Cup: 9 wins
  • Turkish Presidential Cup: 7 wins
  • Turkish Federation Cup (no longer active): 5 wins

• Regional Competitions:
  • Istanbul Basketball League (no longer active): 7 wins

Women's Basketball Team

Fenerbahçe started Turkey's first women's basketball team in 1954. They are the most successful women's basketball team in Turkey. They have also done very well in European competitions. In 2023 and 2024, they won the EuroLeague Women. This made them the first club to win European titles in both men's and women's basketball. They also won the FIBA Europe SuperCup Women in 2023 and 2024.

In Turkey, they have won 21 championship titles. This includes 18 Super League titles. They also hold records for winning the Turkish Cup 14 times and the Turkish Super Cup 12 times. In the 2023–24 season, they had a "perfect season," winning all 35 games.

• European Competitions: 4 wins
  • European Championship: 2 wins (Turkish record)
  • European Super Cup: 2 wins (Turkish record)

• National Championships: 21 wins (record)
  • Women's Basketball Super League: 18 wins (record)
  • Turkish Basketball Championship (no longer active): 3 wins

• National Cups: 26 wins (record)
  • Turkish Cup: 14 wins (record)
  • Turkish Super Cup: 12 wins (record)

Wheelchair Basketball Team (Mixed Gender)

This team has won the Wheelchair Basketball Super League six times. In Europe, they won the EuroCup 3 in 2019, EuroCup 2 in 2023, and EuroCup 1 in 2024.

• National Championships: 6 wins
  • Turkish Wheelchair Basketball Super League: 6 wins

• European Competitions: 3 wins
  • EuroCup 1, EuroCup 2, EuroCup 3: 3 wins

Men's Volleyball Team

Founded in 1927, the men's volleyball team is very successful in Turkey. They have won five Turkish Volleyball League titles. In Europe, they have won two Balkan Cups and the CEV Challenge Cup in 2013–14.

• European Competitions: 3 wins
  • European Cup: 1 win (shared Turkish record)
  • Balkan Cup: 2 wins (shared record)

• National Championships: 5 wins
  • Turkish Men's Volleyball League: 5 wins

• National Cups: 10 wins
  • Turkish Cup: 4 wins
  • Turkish Super Cup: 4 wins (shared record)
  • Turkish Federation Cup (no longer active): 2 wins

Women's Volleyball Team

The women's volleyball team was founded in 1928 by Sabiha Gürayman. She was also the team captain. Sabiha Gürayman was the first female athlete to play on a men's team in Turkish sports history. The team was restarted in 1954 and became one of the best in the world.

In 2010, they won the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship without losing. This was the first "Intercontinental Quadruple" in Turkish volleyball history. They also won the CEV Women's Champions League in 2011–12. In 2014, they won the Women's CEV Cup.

• International Competitions: 1 win
  • World Championship: 1 win

• European Competitions: 2 wins
  • European Championship: 1 win
  • European Cup: 1 win

• National Championships: 15 wins
  • Turkish Women's Volleyball League: 7 wins
  • Turkish Women's Volleyball Championship (no longer active): 8 wins

• National Cups: 11 wins
  • Turkish Cup: 4 wins
  • Turkish Super Cup: 5 wins (shared record)
  • Turkish Federation Cup (no longer active): 2 wins

Men's Table Tennis Team

Founded in 1928, the men's table tennis team is very successful in Turkey. They have won the Turkish Super League six times. They also won the Turkish Cup 12 times. In 2008, they reached the final of the ETTU Cup. This is the best result for any Turkish team so far.

• Turkish Super League: 6 wins (record)
• Turkish Cup: 12 wins

Women's Table Tennis Team

The women's table tennis team is the most successful in Turkey and one of the best in Europe. They have won the Turkish Championship a record 16 times. They also won the Turkish Cup a record 16 times. They won the ETTU Cup twice in a row (2012 and 2013). In 2014–15, they became the first and only Turkish club to win the European Champions League.

• European Championship: 1 win (Turkish record)
• European Cup: 2 wins (Turkish record)
• Turkish Super League: 16 wins (record)
• Turkish Cup: 16 wins (record)
• Istanbul Championship/League (no longer active): 11 wins

Athletics Teams (Men's & Women's)

The athletics department started in 1913. It is one of the most successful in Turkey. The men's team has won a record 20 championships in the Turkish Men's Athletics League. The women's team has won 8 championships and was second in the European Champion Clubs Cup in 2015.

Fenerbahçe athletes have won many medals for Turkey in big competitions. These include Olympic medals, European championships, and World championships.

Boxing Teams (Men's & Women's)

Founded in 1914, Fenerbahçe's boxing department is the most successful in Turkey. Many great boxers have come from Fenerbahçe. They have won many medals in Mediterranean, European, Olympic, and World championships for Turkey and the club.

Rowing Teams (Men's & Women's)

The rowing department started in 1910. Both the men's and women's teams are the most successful in Turkey. The men's team has won the Turkish Men's Rowing Championship a record 35 times. The women's team has won the Women's Rowing Championship a record 18 times.

Sailing Teams (Men's & Women's)

The sailing department started in 1910. It includes teams for different types of boats like optimist, laser, and windsurf. They use the club's Dereağzı Facilities.

Swimming Teams (Men's & Women's)

The swimming department started in 1913. It is the most successful in Turkey. The men's team has won 23 national championships. The women's team has won a record 33 national championships. Overall, they have won a record 23 national championships in the combined category.

Fenerbahçe Esports (Mixed Gender)

Founded in 2016, the esports team plays League of Legends. They have won three championships and been runners-up twice in the League of Legends Championship League.

Fenerbahçe's Facilities

Stadiums

The football team plays its home games at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. It is also known as Kadıköy or Mabet (meaning "shrine" in Turkish) by fans. The stadium opened in 1908 and was last updated between 1999 and 2006. It can hold 50,509 people.

The Ülker Sports Arena is a large indoor arena in Istanbul. It has 13,800 seats. It opened in January 2012. Fenerbahçe's basketball teams play their home games here.

Training Facilities

The Can Bartu Training Facilities are in Samandıra, Istanbul. The football team uses these facilities for training.

The Lefter Küçükandonyadis Training Facilities are a big complex in Kadıköy, Istanbul. They were reopened in 1989 and updated in 1998. Younger football teams play their games here. These facilities also serve the basketball, volleyball, athletics, boxing, rowing, and sailing teams.

The Topuk Yaylası Facilities are a training complex near a forest and a lake. All of the club's teams use this complex for their pre-season training.

The Türk Telekom Ankara Facilities are in Ankara. They host Fenerbahçe's teams when they visit Ankara for games.

The Samim Göreç Basketball Hall is a basketball hall with a training area. It is part of the Lefter Küçükandonyadis Training Facilities. Both the men's and women's basketball teams use it for training.

The Muhtar Sencer Volleyball Hall is also at the Lefter Küçükandonyadis Training Facilities. The men's and women's volleyball teams train here.

The Vefa Küçük Swimming Pool is a semi-Olympic pool on the Fenerbahçe Isle. It opened in 1999 and is used by the swimming team. There is also an Olympic-sized pool on the island, opened in 2004.

The Fikirtepe Facilities are in Kadıköy. They opened in 1998 and help develop the youth football teams.

Fenerbahçe Museum

The Fenerbahçe Museum is about the club's history. It was founded in 1908 and is inside the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Many of the club's trophies are on display there. Out of about 3,000 trophies won, 426 are shown.

Turkey's first basketball museum, the "Fenerbahçe Basketball Museum," is also open at the Ülker Sports and Event Hall.

Other Facilities

The club's main office used to be on Fenerbahçe Isle. In 2006, it moved into the stadium.

The Faruk Ilgaz Social Facilities are a complex with a hall, restaurant, and swimming pool. They were rebuilt and reopened in 2004.

The Fenerbahçe Guesthouse can host 60 guests, including new players. The Todori Facility is a restaurant owned by the club.

Media and Products

Fenerbahçe TV

Radyo Fenerbahçe

Istanbul
Broadcast area	Turkey European Union
Frequency	97.0 Istanbul 97.0 Ankara 97.0 Bursa 97.0 Adapazarı 99.2 Tekirdağ 101.0 Balıkesir 102.4 Çanakkale
Programming
Format	Music radio
Ownership
Owner	Fenerbahçe SK
History
Former names	Fenerbahçe FM

Fenerbahçe TV (FB TV) was the first TV channel for a sports club in Turkey. It started in 2004.

Fenerbahçe Radio

Fenerbahçe Radyo (FB Radyo) is a radio station that broadcasts across Turkey from Istanbul. It was the first sports club radio station in Turkey. It plays Turkish and other pop music.

Fenerium Stores

Fenerium is the club's own company. It sells official products and helps sponsor some of the club's teams. The company started in 2000. Its main office is at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.

Fenerium has 96 stores in total. Most are in Turkey, but one is in Northern Cyprus.

Fenerbahçe Supporters

It is thought that about 8.5 million people in Turkey support Fenerbahçe. This is about 32% of all football fans in the country. The club also has many fans around the world, including Turkish people living abroad and non-Turks.

The main fan groups are Genç Fenerbahçeliler (ultras), 1907 ÜNİFEB (university youth), and 1907 Fenerbahçe (a non-profit group).

Club Officials

Position	Name
President	Ali Koç
Board member	Nevres Erol Bilecik
Board member	Hamdi Akın
Board member	Fethi Pekin
Board member	Esin Güral Argat
Board member	Sait Ergun Özen
Board member	Hüseyin Bozkurt
Board member	Ahmet Ketenci
Board member	Mustafa Hakan Safi
Board member	Mustafa Kemal Danabaş
Board member	Acar Sertaç Komsuoğlu
Board member	Hulusi Belgü
Board member	Korkut Nedim Keçeli
Board member	Burak Çağlan Kızılhan
Board member	Selma Altay Rodopman
Board member	Rıfat Perahya
Board member	Özgür Özaktaç
Board member	Ali Alper Alpoğlu
Board member	Cenk Öztanık
Board member	Eren Ali Dişli

Club Presidents Through the Years

Name	Period	Job
Ziya Songülen	1907–1908	Founding member, officer
Ayetullah Bey	1908–1909	Founding member, officer
Tevfik Haccar Taşçı	1909–1910	Former athlete, businessman
Hakkı Saffet Tarı	1910–1911	Bank teller
Prince Shahzade Osman Fuad	1911–1912
Dr. Hamit Hüsnü Kayacan	1912–1914	Doctor
Mehmet Hulusi Bey	1914–1915	General manager
Mehmet Sabri Toprak	1915–1916	Secretary General
Dr. Nazım Bey	1916–1918	Minister of Education
Ahmet Nuri Sekizinci	1918–1919	Playwright
Prince Shahzade Ömer Faruk	1920–1923
Mehmet Sabri Toprak	1923–1924	Secretary General
Nasuhi Esat Baydar	1924–1925	Former athlete
Ali Naci Karacan	1926–1927	Journalist
Muvaffak Menemencioğlu	1928–1932	General manager
Sait Selahattin Cihanoğlu	1932–1933	Former athlete
Hayri Cemal Atamer	1933–1934	General secretary
Şükrü Saracoğlu	1934–1950	Prime Minister of Turkey, Minister
Ali Muhittin Hacı Bekir	1950–1952	Confectioner
Osman Kavrakoğlu	1952–1953	Former athlete, Lawyer
Bedii Yazıcı	1953–1954	Former footballer, general manager
Osman Kavrakoğlu	1954–1955	Former athlete, Lawyer
Zeki Rıza Sporel	1955–1958	Former athlete, businessman
Agah Erozan	1958–1960	Deputy
Medeni Berk	1960	Minister of State
Hasan Kamil Sporel	1960–1961	Former athlete
Razi Trak	1961–1962	Chairman of the board
Dr. İsmet Uluğ	1962–1966	Eye doctor
Faruk Ilgaz	1966–1974	Civil engineer, Industrialist
Emin Cankurtaran	1974–1976	Industrialist
Faruk Ilgaz	1976–1980	Civil engineer, Industrialist
Razi Trak	1980–1981	Chairman of the board
Ali Haydar Şen	1981–1983	Businessman, Industrialist
Faruk Ilgaz	1983–1984	Civil engineer, Industrialist
Fikret Arıcan	1984–1986	Former footballer
Tahsin Kaya	1986–1989	Building contractor
Metin Aşık	1989–1993	Building contractor
Güven Sazak	1993–1994	Businessman, Building contractor
Hasan Özaydın	1994	Building contractor
Ali Şen	1994–1998	Businessman, Industrialist
Aziz Yıldırım	1998–2018	Civil engineer, Building contractor
Ali Koç	2018–present	Businessman

Sponsors of Fenerbahçe SK

Fenerbahçe SK works with many companies as sponsors:

Puma Ülker Avis Beko Doğuş Group Acıbadem Denizbank Tüpraş Aygaz Turkish Airlines

Audi Damat Tween Pürsu Diversey Nesine.com Yandex Hublot Getir Spor Toto Burger King

Fun Facts About Fenerbahçe

• A type of African fish was named "Fenerbahce" by Turkish scientists.
• Fenerbahçe holds the record for the most points (15) in the group stage for a Turkish club in the UEFA Europa League. This happened in the 2009–10 season.
• In the 1988–89 season, Fenerbahçe scored 103 goals in 36 matches. This is a record for the most goals in a single season.
• Fenerbahçe is the biggest contributor among Turkish teams to the UEFA coefficient, which ranks clubs in Europe.
• The "1909 First March" is the first anthem ever written for a Turkish football team. It was composed by Krikor Sinanyan.
• As part of the club's 100th anniversary, climbers Tunç Fındık and Mustafa Kalaycı planted the Fenerbahçe flag on the top of Mount Everest.
• Fenerbahçe's 3000th goal was scored by Alex de Souza.
• Fenerbahçe's 4000th goal was scored by Sebastian Szymański.
• Adidas, a long-time sponsor, renewed its deal with Fenerbahçe in 2025. This was the biggest sponsorship deal in Turkish sports history.

See also

In Spanish: Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü para niños