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Political football in Turkey

Turkish football has been dominated by the 'big three' Istanbul teams of Galatasary, Beskitas and Fenerbache. But now Basaksehir, a previously failing club named after the sprawling outer district of Istanbul, sits in second place in Turkey's Super Lig. If they win the league, Basaksehir would be only the sixth side to be crowned champions since the league's inception in 1959.

It represents an attempt by the supporters of President Erdogan to create a 'pro-government' club. As a former semi-professional footballer, Mr Erdogan understands the importance of football in Turkey, where millions are obsessed by the game.

The Big Three and their fans have been troublesome for him in the past. Football ultras played a central role in anti-government protests that erupted in 2013.

The club's chairman, Goksel Gumusdag, is an AKP local official who is related by marriage to Mr Erdogan. The club's main sponsors are companies with close ties to the ruling party.

However, there are limits to this attempt to engineer society from the top. The average attendance at the club is just 5,500. Football allegiances in Turkey are traditionally passed down through the generations.

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