Trabzonspor Reject Coach Tekke's Resignation After Europa League Exit

Trabzonspor have refused to accept the resignation of head coach Fatih Tekke, one day after a heavy Europa League defeat sent the Turkish club tumbling out of the competition.

The club's board of directors published an official announcement on their website on 28 August 2026, stating that Tekke's resignation had not been accepted. The statement, titled "Kamuoyuna Duyuru" — Turkish for "Public Announcement" — confirmed that the coach would remain in his post. Trabzonspor official website

The decision follows a bruising two-leg play-off defeat to Ferencváros of Hungary. Trabzonspor lost the second leg 4-0 in Budapest, having already fallen 1-0 at home, giving the Hungarian side a 5-0 win on aggregate — the combined score across both matches. BBC Sport

Tekke offered his resignation in the aftermath, but Trabzonspor said the decision stemmed from the intense emotional impact of the European exit rather than a considered judgement to step aside. The club moved quickly to reject it on Friday morning. BBC Sport

In his own resignation statement, Tekke pointed to a turning point in the Ferencváros match. He said the tie had been progressing positively until a red card left his side a player short, after which the game slipped away and with it Trabzonspor's place in the Europa League, the continent's second-tier club competition behind the Champions League. Haber7

Despite the Europa League disappointment, Trabzonspor will not be without European football this season. They will compete in the Europa Conference League, UEFA's third-tier tournament, which offers a fresh continental stage and a shot at redemption.

Tekke's track record gave the board reason to stand firm. He led Trabzonspor to a third-place finish in the Turkish Süper Lig last season, a result that secured European qualification in the first place. BBC Sport

For a club whose supporters fill the stands of the Şenol Güneş Stadium on the Black Sea coast, European nights matter deeply. A 5-0 aggregate defeat will sting. But the board's refusal to let their coach walk suggests they believe the man who delivered third place last term deserves the chance to put things right — starting with the Conference League campaign ahead.