İsmail Kartal resigns as Fenerbahçe head coach, club begins search

İsmail Kartal, a former Fenerbahçe player who returned to coach the Istanbul club, resigned as head coach in autumn 2026. Fenerbahçe's management accepted the resignation, and the two sides parted ways.

The departure followed a period of pressure on the team. Kartal's name had already been tied to resignation reports earlier in the season, and the club's position on his future had at times been unclear. In its statement, the club thanked him for his effort and his loyalty to Fenerbahçe.

The exit mattered because Fenerbahçe is one of Türkiye's biggest clubs, with high expectations in the Süper Lig (the top Turkish league) and in European competition. Losing a head coach during the season left the board needing to find a replacement quickly. That search led to the appointment of Emre Belözoğlu, the former club captain, as the new head coach.