History of Fenerbahçe S.K. in Timeline

Fenerbahçe S.K. is a major Turkish multi-sport club based in Istanbul, with a strong presence in football, basketball, and other sports. The club has won numerous domestic and European titles across its various departments, including volleyball, table tennis, athletics, swimming, sailing, boxing, rowing, and eSports, demonstrating its commitment to a wide range of athletic pursuits. It is based out of Kadıköy.

1907: Emblem Meaning

After the change of the club's colours from yellow and white to yellow and navy, it was an issue to create an emblem with our new colours. Firstly, I brought together the colours of our national flag, red and white. Then drew a heart shape over the red and gave it a yellow and navy colour, adding an acorn leaf that represents resistance, power and strength. I wrote the club name and foundation date on the white section. The design was favored by my friends and our new emblem was made through the guidance of Tevfik Haccar, who was in Germany at time. After the new alphabet was approved, the design was protected, but the club name on the emblem was changed to Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü ★ 1907 ★.

1907: Football Club Founding

In 1907, Fenerbahçe was founded as a football club, becoming the first and oldest department of the club.

1907: Establishment of Supporter Groups

In 1907, the main supporter groups were established. The supporter groups are Genç Fenerbahçeliler (ultras), 1907 ÜNİFEB (university youth) and 1907 Fenerbahçe (non-governmental organisation).

1908: Fenerbahçe Museum Founding

In 1908, Ali Rıza Bey founded the Fenerbahçe Museum, which is devoted to the history of the club. The museum is housed in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium and displays many of the trophies won by the club.

1908: Legal Registration

In 1908, following a legislation reform, Fenerbahçe officially registered as a football club to exist legally.

1909: Joined Istanbul League

In 1909, Fenerbahçe joined the Istanbul League and finished fifth in their first year.

1910: Crest Design

In 1910, Hikmet Topuzer designed the Fenerbahçe crest.

1910: Crest and Colors Redesign

In 1910, Hikmet Topuzer redesigned the club's badge, and Ziya Songülen changed the colors to yellow and navy, which became the iconic colors of Fenerbahçe.

1910: Rowing Department Founded

In 1910, the rowing department was founded with Fenerbahçe Rowers using the Dereağzı Facilities as homeground.

1911: Cricket Team Established

In 1911, Fenerbahçe established a cricket team consisting of athletes such as Sait Selahattin Cihanoğlu, Galip Kulaksızoğlu, Tevfik Taşçı, and Fahri Ayad.

1912: Ottoman Scouts Society Founded

In 1912, Ottoman Scouts Society was founded.

1912: Cycling Activities Started

In 1912, cycling activities began.

1913: Keşşaflık Ocağı Team Established

In 1913, Fenerbahçe Club first established the Keşşaflık Ocağı team.

1913: Vecdi Çağatay wins

In 1913, Vecdi Çağatay came first in the Fenerbahçe Sports Festivals.

1913: Athletics Department Founded

In 1913, the athletics department was founded and is one of the most successful in Turkey.

1913: Men's Basketball Department Initial Founding

In 1913, the men's basketball department of Fenerbahçe was initially founded.

1914: Vecdi Çağatay wins

In 1914, Vecdi Çağatay came first in the Friday Union Festivals.

1914: Rowing Teams Success

In 1914, both the men's and women's rowing teams are the most successful in Turkey.

1914: Gymnastics Activities Began

In 1914, gymnastics activities began when former president Hamit Hüsnü Kayacan purchased a chin-up bar and parallel bars and set them up next to the club.

1914: Boxing Department Founded

In 1914, the boxing department of Fenerbahçe was founded.

1914: Skating Rink Moved

In 1914, the skating rink, where former presidents first practiced, was moved to Kuşdili.

1914: Team Formed

In 1914, the team was formed with the efforts of the founding director Mustafa Elkatipzade.

1914: Cricket Team Disbanded

In 1914, with the end of World War I and the British leaving Turkey, the cricket team was left without a rival and disbanded.

1914: Wrestling Taken into Operation

In 1914, wrestling was taken into operation.

1915: Scouting Activities Started

In 1915, Fenerbahçe turned to scouting upon the application of the Minister of War Enver Pasha.

1915: Istanbul Championship Win

In 1915, the team came first in the Istanbul Championship organized by the Hockey Association.

March 16, 1920: Occupation Army Command bans meetings

On March 16, 1920, the Occupation Army Command declared a ban on meetings after the occupation of Istanbul, which forced the Fenerbahçe idea and stage branch to end its activities.

June 20, 1920: Fenerbahçe team performance at Himaye-i Etfal Festival

On June 20, 1920, the yellow-navy team, coached by Colonel Grodetski, performed at the Himaye-i Etfal Festival.

1922: First Championships Won

In 1922, the tennis team won its first İstanbul, Turkey and Challenge Cup championships, also defeating the British.

1922: First Greco-Roman Champion

In 1922, İlhami Polater became the first Greco-Roman style champion in Turkey.

1923: Won General Harrington Cup

In 1923, Fenerbahçe won the General Harrington Cup by defeating a team formed by the British occupation forces with a score of 2-1 in the final match held at Taksim Stadium.

1923: Turkish Sports Association Alliance took up Hockey

In 1923, the Turkish Sports Association Alliance also took up this sport.

1923: Branch Reorganized

In 1923, the branch was reorganized with the efforts of football player Alaattin Baydar.

1923: Roller Hockey Team Established

In 1923, the roller hockey team was established.

1923: First Female Tennis Players

In 1923, the team became the team that brought the first female tennis players of Turkey to the courts.

March 7, 1924: Points Record Established

On March 7, 1924, Fenerbahçe beat Vefa 20-3, establishing the current points record in roller hockey.

1924: Gymnastics Neglected

After 1924, gymnastics was neglected.

1924: Cavit Cav Wins Championship

In 1924, Cavit Cav became both the speed and endurance champion in the Turkish Cycling Championships, which were first held in Ankara. The first Turkish cyclists to participate in the 1924 Summer Olympics were the brothers Cavit Cav and Galip Cav.

1924: Olympics Representation

In 1924, Seyfi Cenap Berksoy and Dürrü Sade represented Turkey as athletes in the Summer Olympics.

April 14, 1926: Last Field Hockey Match

On April 14, 1926, the match in which the yellow-navy team won 3-1 against the English was the last match of the Fenerbahçe field hockey team due to lack of competition.

July 10, 1926: Long-Distance Race Completed

On July 10, 1926, Galip and Cavit Cav brothers became the first Turkish athletes to complete the long-distance race by completing the İzmir-Bandırma leg in 50.5 hours.

October 8, 1926: Kenan Dinçman wins Istanbul lightweight championship

On October 8, 1926, Kenan Dinçman, a master of description and rower, won the Istanbul lightweight championship in weightlifting, marking the first championship for Fenerbahçe in this sport.

1927: Volleyball Team Founding

In 1927, Fenerbahçe's men's volleyball team was founded.

1928: Summer Olympics

In 1928, The first Turkish cyclists to participate in the 1928 Summer Olympics were the brothers Cavit Cav and Galip Cav.

1928: Table Tennis Department Founded

In 1928, the table tennis department of Fenerbahçe was founded.

1928: Women's Volleyball Department Founded

In 1928, the women's volleyball department of Fenerbahçe was founded by Sabiha Gürayman, who also became the team's captain, marking the first such department in Turkey; however, it closed the same year due to a lack of opponents.

1930: Gymnastics Department Disbanded

In 1930, the gymnastics department was disbanded.

1930: Balkan Championship Victory

In 1930, the national team, consisting of Fenerbahçe tennis players Suat Subay, Sedat Erkoğlu and Vahram Şirinyan, became champions in the Balkan Championship in Athens.

1931: Third Place in Istanbul

In 1931, the national team, consisting of Fenerbahçe tennis players Suat Subay, Sedat Erkoğlu and Vahram Şirinyan, won third place in Istanbul.

1932: Cavit Cav Success Maintained

In 1932, Cavit Cav maintained the success.

1932: Museum Fire

In 1932, scouting equipment was completely reduced to ashes in the fire of Fenerbahçe Museum.

1936: Club Founded

In 1936, Tennis, Fencing and Mountaineering Sports Club was founded.

1937: Championships Passed On

Until 1937, the Turkish and Challenge Cup championships, which were held by Fenerbahçe tennis players in the men's singles and doubles, were passed on to the Tennis, Fencing and Mountaineering Sports Club.

1942: Courts Reopened

In 1942, The tennis branch gained momentum with the reopening of the Fernerbahçe courts to sports.

1944: Men's Basketball Department Permanent Re-founding

In 1944, the men's basketball department of Fenerbahçe was founded in its current permanent form.

April 8, 1945: Fenerbahçe secures handball championship

On April 8, 1945, Fenerbahçe's handball team won 7-4 against Galatasaray before a crowd of 12,000, securing the Istanbul championship in handball.

May 1945: Fenerbahçe rugby team beats Haydarpaşa High School

In May 1945, Fenerbahçe's rugby team was formed and beat the Haydarpaşa High School team 8-7 on 12 May 1945 at the Haydarpaşa High School Sports Day.

July 1, 1945: Fenerbahçe handball team loses in Turkish Championship final

On July 1, 1945, Fenerbahçe's handball team lost 7-5 to Harbokulu in the finals of the first Turkish Handball Championship, finishing second overall.

May 1947: Fenerbahçe rugby team beats Galatasaray

In May 1947, Fenerbahçe's rugby team beat Galatasaray 12-0 in front of approximately 18,000 spectators before the Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş football match. This match is considered the last rugby match until the Turkish League was founded in 2007.

1948: Ruhi Sarıalp Wins Bronze at Olympics

In 1948, Ruhi Sarıalp won a bronze medal at the Olympics, representing Turkey as a Fenerbahçe athlete.

1949: Last Important Activity

In 1949, The tennis branch performed its last important activity with matches against the visiting Cercle de la Jeunesse team from Syria.

1950: Branch Ends

Although the tennis branch was invited to Lebanon in 1950, it became history in the 1950s.

1950: Ruhi Sarıalp Becomes European Third

In 1950, Ruhi Sarıalp became European third as a Fenerbahçe athlete representing Turkey.

1954: Women's Basketball Team Founding

In 1954, Fenerbahçe founded the first women's basketball team in Turkey.

1954: Women's Volleyball Department Refounded

In 1954, the women's volleyball department was refounded in its current form, eventually becoming one of the best volleyball teams in Turkey and worldwide.

1955: First International Success

In 1955, Tonguç Türsan achieved Turkey's first official success in the international arena by winning the silver medal in single sculls at the Mediterranean Games.

1956: Tayyar Güner Completes Anatolian Tour

In 1956, Tayyar Güner completed the 3,500-kilometer Anatolian tour starting from Istanbul.

1959: Sadık Yalım Helps Win Championship

In 1959, Sadık Yalım helped Fenerbahçe win the Istanbul championship.

1959: Wrestling Team Reactivated

In 1959, the Fenerbahçe wrestling team was reactivated under the supervision of coach Mustafa Çakmak.

1961: Istanbul Championship Win

In 1961, the team won its first Istanbul championship in Greco-Roman.

September 19, 1966: Sadık Öğretir brings Istanbul championship to Fenerbahçe

On September 19, 1966, Fenerbahçe archer Sadık Öğretir, who held Turkish records for a long time, brought Fenerbahçe the Istanbul championship.

1966: Istanbul Champion for Three Years

In 1966, the Fenerbahçe Greco-Roman team was the Istanbul champion for three years in a row.

1967: European and World Championship Wins

In 1967, Sırrı Acar won the European and World championship.

January 18, 1968: Sadık Öğretir wins Turkish Archery Championship

On January 18, 1968, Sadık Öğretir came first in the Turkish Archery Championship held in Mersin with 1003 points, setting a Turkish record.

1968: Balkans Cup Victory

In 1968, Fenerbahçe won the Balkans Cup, marking the first international trophy won by a Turkish football club.

1968: Istanbul Champion for Three Years

In 1968, the Fenerbahçe Greco-Roman team was the Istanbul champion for three years in a row.

March 19, 1972: Fenerbahçe wins Istanbul championship in weightlifting

On March 19, 1972, Fenerbahçe won the Istanbul championship in weightlifting, marking their last team success.

1981: Wrestling Team Re-established

In 1981, the Fenerbahçe wrestling team was re-established and continued its activities until 1987.

1987: Wrestling Activities Stopped

In 1987, the Fenerbahçe wrestling team stopped its activities.

1992: Demonstration Sport

In 1992, roller hockey was accepted as a demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics.

1995: Women's Football Department Founding

In 1995, the women's football department of Fenerbahçe was originally founded.

July 1998: Fikirtepe Facilities Opening

On July 1, 1998, the Fikirtepe Facilities, located in Fikirtepe, Kadıköy, were opened. They serve the development of the youth football departments.

1998: Wheelchair Basketball Super League Champion

In 1998, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team became champion in the Wheelchair Basketball Super League under the name of 'Engelli Yıldızlar SK'.

July 1999: Vefa Küçük Swimming Pool Opening

On July 16, 1999, the Vefa Küçük Swimming Pool, a semi-Olympic-sized pool on Fenerbahçe Isle, was opened. It was built by the former vice-president Vefa Küçük and serves the swimming department.

1999: Wheelchair Basketball Super League Champion

In 1999, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team became champion in the Wheelchair Basketball Super League under the name of 'Engelli Yıldızlar SK'.

2000: Wheelchair Basketball Super League Champion

In 2000, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team became champion in the Wheelchair Basketball Super League under the name of 'Engelli Yıldızlar SK'.

2000: Fenerium Establishment

In 2000, Fenerium was established as the club's own company, marketing licensed products and sponsoring some of the club's departments and teams. The headquarters are located in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.

February 2001: Samim Göreç Basketball Hall Refurbishment

In February 2001, the Samim Göreç Basketball Hall, located in the Lefter Küçükandonyadis Training Facilities in Dereağzı, was refurbished. The hall is used by the men's and women's basketball departments of Fenerbahçe for their trainings.

January 2004: Faruk Ilgaz Social Facilities Re-opening

On January 21, 2004, the Faruk Ilgaz Social Facilities, a social complex with an indoor hall, a restaurant, a patisserie, and an Olympic swimming pool, were re-opened after being rebuilt as a modern complex during the presidency of Aziz Yıldırım. They were initially opened on May 15, 1969 and are located next to the club's headquarters.

2004: Eşref Apak Wins Silver at Olympics

In 2004, Eşref Apak won a silver medal at the Olympics as a Fenerbahçe athlete representing Turkey.

2004: Fenerbahçe TV Launch

In 2004, Fenerbahçe TV (FB TV) launched. It is the first television channel of a sports club in Turkey and is available over satellite, D-Smart, Canal satellite network services, and cable service.

2004: Olympic-sized Swimming Pool Opening

In 2004, an Olympic-sized swimming pool located on the Fenerbahçe Isle was opened. The pool is used by the swimming department of the club.

2005: Willi Brinkmann Cup Second Place

In 2005, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team came second in the Willi Brinkmann Cup.

2005: EuroCup Runners-Up

In 2005, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team were EuroCup runners-up.

2006: Andre Vergauwen Cup Second Place

In 2006, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team came second in the Andre Vergauwen Cup.

2006: Headquarters Move to Stadium

In 2006, the club's headquarters moved into the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium to gather all sections under one roof. The headquarters were initially located on the Fenerbahçe Isle near to the stadium.

May 21, 2007: Fenerbahçe team climbs Mount Everest

On May 21, 2007, as part of the Fenerbahçe World Summits project, the mountaineering team consisting of Tunç Fındık and Mustafa Kalaycı reached the summit of Mount Everest and planted the Turkish and Fenerbahçe flags.

2007: Andre Vergauwen Cup Second Place

In 2007, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team came second in the Andre Vergauwen Cup.

March 2008: Most Valuable Club

In March 2008, during its 101st year, Fenerbahçe S.K. achieved a market value of $2 billion, surpassing Manchester United to become the world's most valuable club.

2008: Reached ETTU Cup Final

In 2008, Fenerbahçe's men's table tennis team reached the final of the ETTU Cup, which is the best result for any Turkish team to date.

2009: Balkan Champions

In 2009, Fenerbahçe's men's volleyball team became Balkan Champions.

2009: Karin Melis Mey Comes Third in the World

In 2009, Karin Melis Mey came third in the World as a Fenerbahçe athlete representing Turkey.

2010: FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship Victory

In 2010, Fenerbahçe's women's volleyball team won the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship undefeated, achieving the first Intercontinental Quadruple in Turkish volleyball history after securing the Turkish League, Turkish Cup, and Turkish Super Cup titles.

2010: Nevin Yanıt Becomes European Champion

In 2010, Nevin Yanıt became a European champion as a Fenerbahçe athlete representing Turkey.

2011: Fourth Place in EuroLeague

In 2011, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team finished fourth in the EuroLeague.

2011: ETTU Cup Win

In 2011, Fenerbahçe's women's table tennis team won the ETTU Cup.

2011: European Champions League Runners-Up

In 2011, Fenerbahçe's women's volleyball team finished as runners-up in the European Champions League.

2011: CEV Champions League

In 2011, Fenerbahçe's women's volleyball team reached the CEV Champions League.

2011: Halil Akkaş Becomes European Third

In 2011, Halil Akkaş became European third representing Turkey as a Fenerbahçe athlete.

September 2012: Membership Count

As of September 2012, Fenerbahçe S.K. had 309,026 paid members.

October 2012: Won against NBA Team

On 5 October 2012, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team became the first and only Turkish basketball club to win against an NBA team.

2012: EuroLeague Runners-Up

In 2012, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team were EuroLeague runners-up.

2012: ETTU Cup Win

In 2012, Fenerbahçe's women's table tennis team won the ETTU Cup for the second time in a row.

2012: Nevin Yanıt Becomes European Champion

In 2012, Nevin Yanıt became a European champion as a Fenerbahçe athlete representing Turkey.

2013: CEV Challenge Cup and Balkan Champions

In 2013, Fenerbahçe's men's volleyball team won the CEV Challenge Cup and also became Balkan Champions.

2013: EuroLeague Runners-Up

In 2013, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team were EuroLeague runners-up.

2013: ETTU Cup Win

In 2013, the women's table tennis team won the ETTU Cup for the second time in a row.

2013: CEV Challenge Cup

In the 2013–14 season, Fenerbahçe's men's volleyball team won the CEV Challenge Cup.

2014: CEV Cup Victory

In 2014, Fenerbahçe won the CEV Cup by defeating Russia's Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg 3–0 in the finals, coinciding with the men's team winning the CEV Challenge Cup on the same day, making Fenerbahçe the first and only Turkish sports club with European titles in both men's and women's volleyball.

2014: Fourth Place in EuroLeague

In 2014, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team finished fourth in the EuroLeague.

2014: European Champions League Win

In 2014-15 season, the women's table tennis team won the European Champions League as the first and only Turkish club.

2015: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2015, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2015: Champions League Title

In 2015, Fenerbahçe's women's table tennis team won the Champions League title undefeated, achieving the only Triple Crown for a Turkish table tennis team.

2015: Women's Athletics Runners-Up

In 2015, the women's athletics team became runners-up in the European Champion Clubs Cup.

2016: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2016, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2016: EuroLeague Runners-Up and Third Place

In 2016, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team were EuroLeague runners-up and reached the third place.

2016: Yasmani Copello Escobar Wins Bronze at Olympics

In 2016, Yasmani Copello Escobar won a bronze medal at the Olympics representing Turkey as a Fenerbahçe athlete.

2016: Esports Team Founded

In 2016, the League of Legends esports team was founded.

2017: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2017, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2017: Ramil Guliyev Becomes World Champion

In 2017, Ramil Guliyev became World champion representing Turkey as a Fenerbahçe athlete.

2017: EuroLeague Championship

In the 2016–17 season, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team won the EuroLeague championship, becoming the first Turkish team to achieve this.

2018: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2018, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2018: Wheelchair Basketball Super League Champion

In 2018, Fenerbahçe's wheelchair basketball team became champion in the Wheelchair Basketball Super League under the name of '1907 Fenerbahçe Engelli Yıldızlar SK'.

2018: Ramil Guliyev Becomes European Champion

In 2018, Ramil Guliyev became a European champion representing Turkey as a Fenerbahçe athlete.

2019: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2019, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2021: Third Place in EuroLeague

In 2021, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team reached the third place in EuroLeague.

2021: Women's Football Department Re-founding

In 2021, the women's football department of Fenerbahçe was re-founded.

2022: Fenerbahçe Göksel Çelik Wheelchair Basketball Champion in EuroCup II

In the 2022 season, Fenerbahçe Göksel Çelik Wheelchair Basketball team became the champion in EuroCup II.

2023: EuroLeague Final Four Appearance

In 2023, Fenerbahçe's men's basketball team played in the EuroLeague Final Four.

2023: Perfect Season & Multiple Championships

In 2023, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team completed a perfect season in the Women's Basketball Super League, winning all 35 games. The team also secured the Turkish Women's Basketball Cup, FIBA Europe SuperCup Women, and EuroLeague Women.

2023: EuroLeague Championship and FIBA Europe SuperCup Win

In 2023, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team won the EuroLeague by defeating ÇBK Mersin Yenişehir and became the first club to win both men's and women's EuroLeague. They also won the FIBA Europe SuperCup against LDLC ASVEL Féminin.

2023: Women's Basketball EuroLeague Championship and FIBA Europe SuperCup Win

2023: Affiliated Organizations compete

In 2023, several Fenerbahçe affiliated organizations competed in national championships.

2023: Fenerbahçe Göksel Çelik Wheelchair Basketball champion in EuroCup II

In the 2023 season, Fenerbahçe Göksel Çelik Wheelchair Basketball team became the champion in EuroCup II.

2024: EuroLeague Back-to-Back Championship

In 2024, Fenerbahçe's women's basketball team successfully defended their crown by defeating Villeneuve d'Ascq LM to become back-to-back champions in EuroLeague.