Turkish Football Federation (TFF)

The Turkish Football Federation emerged as an organization that evolved over time from the institutional framework established in the early years of the Republic with the aim of regulating, developing and conducting football activities in accordance with international rules. Throughout the process of transitioning from the localized and fragmented structure of football during the Ottoman period to a centralized national administration, the federation became the foundational institution defining both the administrative framework of football and the organization of national teams. Within this historical development, the federation’s structure, areas of responsibility and direction of sports policies have been among the main factors shaping the social and institutional dimensions of football in Türkiye.

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When examining the historical development of sports, it is evident that during the Ottoman Empire, sporting activities did not have institutionalized structures in the modern sense. During this period, sports were sometimes concentrated in specific locations and traditional disciplines, and at other times conducted as temporary events. In Ottoman society, sport existed as an activity supporting individual development and social resilience; however, the formation of clubs in the modern sense emerged much later. The Ottoman sports system consisted of an organizational structure made up of permanent institutions with continuous operations and temporary structures established for specific competitions.

Ottoman sports institutions are examined under three main categories: sports tekkes, sports foundations and sports event organizers. Sports tekkes were facilities serving as training and camp grounds where athletes prepared in specific disciplines. Sports foundations were structures that enabled financial support for athletes and the organization of various competitions. Sports organizers were responsible for managing periodic matches. All these institutions are regarded as fundamental elements defining the place of sport within social life. The early character of Turkish sport was shaped by this tripartite structure.

From the seventeenth century onward, significant developments occurred in Ottoman sports life. During this period, traditional sports such as horsemanship, archery, wrestling and rifle shooting gained popularity among broad segments of society. As interest in these activities increased, the Enderun within the palace became a central hub for sports education. Young men received regular training in physical endurance, weapon handling and horseback riding. The seventeenth century was one of the periods when Ottoman sports organization became distinctly systematic.

By the second half of the nineteenth century, sport acquired a new character through modernization policies. Influenced by the Tanzimat reforms, the modern European understanding of sport began to reflect in Ottoman society. Football, particularly under British influence, was first played among foreign communities in port cities during the last quarter of the century and gradually attracted interest among Turkish youth. However, due to the social and political conditions of the time, Turkish youth were long prevented from playing football. Sources indicate that this restriction stemmed from both political pressure and strict family attitudes. Nevertheless, some Turkish youths secretly attempted to play football. As a result of this process, the first Turkish football team, named Black Stocking – Siyah Çoraplılar, emerged; however, this initiative also faced obstruction by security forces.

The spread of football within Turkish society occurred primarily through clubs established by British and Greek communities in Istanbul and İzmir. The first club structure in Turkey emerged in İzmir. In the early 1890s, British families settled in İzmir founded the “Football Club Smyrna,” which played its first match in 1895, forming the first organized structure for football in Turkey. During the same period, a similar development occurred in Istanbul; starting in 1897, the British began organizing football matches. One of the pioneers of football in Istanbul was J. Lafontaine, whose initiatives led to the founding of the Kadıköy Football Club in 1902. This club holds the distinction of being Istanbul’s first systematic football club.

The year 1903 is a significant turning point in Turkish football history. Due to the increasing number of foreign football clubs in Istanbul, Moda, Elpis, Imogene and Kadıköy clubs came together to form the Istanbul Football Union. The purpose of this Union was to establish a regular schedule for matches between clubs and ensure that competitions were conducted according to defined rules. The Istanbul Football Union can be regarded as the first federative structure for football organization in Turkey; however, sources clearly state that at this time it lacked legal personality. The Union undertook various responsibilities, including resolving disputes between clubs and determining match schedules.

With the enforcement of the Associations Law in 1909, the legal status of sports clubs became clearly defined, and clubs gained legal personality as associations under this law. Following this development, the Istanbul Football Union was restructured and renamed the Istanbul Football Clubs League. This new structure created a system enabling clubs to participate more actively in decision-making processes within the Union. Clubs became direct stakeholders in league management by appointing representatives to the governing board. This situation led to increased autonomy for clubs in the early period of Turkish football organization.

By 1913, as football became widespread among Turkish clubs, a new organization known as the Cuma League emerged. This structure included clubs such as Anadolu, İstanbul Jimnastik Kulübü, Darülfünun Terbiye-i Bedeniye, Sanayi Mektebi and Fenerbahçe, and was formed by Turkish clubs excluded from the Istanbul Football Clubs League. It facilitated the broader dissemination of football among Turkish youth. The Cuma League had its own constitution and general assembly, and clubs participated systematically in matches through this league. This structure represented a significant step in the development of Turkish football’s own organizational identity, separate from leagues dominated by foreign clubs.

The common feature of these early structures was their effort to create organized frameworks adhering to specific rules in response to growing interest in sport, particularly football. However, all these initiatives remained localized and failed to establish a nationwide sports organization.

This deficiency necessitated a much larger-scale sports infrastructure in Türkiye. As a result, in 1922 the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı (Turkish Sports Associations Alliance) was established, and sport, particularly football, gained a national administrative structure for the first time. This organization directly preceded the emergence of the Turkish Football Federation. The Alliance was the first institutional framework capable of organizing sports across the country in disciplines beyond football.

Early sports organizations in Türkiye were limited to local football unions operating in Istanbul and its surroundings, and the absence of a nationwide sports authority became a clear need. In response to this need, the first national organization uniting sports clubs under a single umbrella, the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı (TİCİ), was established. TİCİ was formed by the convergence of sports clubs under the Associations Law dated 03.08.1909 and acquired legal status as an association. The organization held its first meeting on 16 February 1923 and played a crucial role in institutionalizing sport across the country.

The emergence of TİCİ’s organizational structure was directly shaped by the political and social conditions of the time. The increasing number of sports clubs, the rising frequency of competitions and the need for administrative standards were among the fundamental factors compelling the establishment of TİCİ. By a decision of the Council of Ministers dated 2 January 1924, the Alliance was defined as a “nonprofit association serving the public interest” and recognized as the sole organization representing Türkiye in international sports. This status assigned TİCİ official duties recognized by the state in the field of sports. Thus, sports administration acquired a legally empowered institutional identity for the first time within a national legal framework.

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The founding objectives of TİCİ were centered on promoting sport on a national scale within a scientific and organized framework. Its bylaws included goals such as developing physical education, directing sport to foster national unity and conducting sporting activities under standardized administrative criteria. The Alliance was also obligated to represent Türkiye in international competitions. The principle of organizing sport independently from politics was established as one of TİCİ’s core principles. In accordance with these principles, amateurism was promoted across all sports disciplines, sport was linked to health and discipline, and multi-disciplinary national championships were targeted.

Specifically for football, TİCİ assumed responsibility for organizing national football championships, standardizing refereeing practices and establishing the necessary infrastructure for the formation of a football federation. These responsibilities enabled Turkish football to transition from a local league system to a nationally integrated structure.

TİCİ’s organizational structure was built on a multi-layered model resembling a modern sports confederation. The central organization comprised the General Headquarters, the General Congress and federations. The General Headquarters was authorized as the nationwide executive body and endowed with broad powers including ensuring coordination among sports organizations, evaluating reports, preparing budgets and making decisions. Members of the General Headquarters consisted of elected, natural and advisory members, creating a coordinated management approach between federations and clubs.

The General Congress was established as TİCİ’s highest decision-making body. Delegates from regions, representatives appointed by military sports organizations and federation representatives participated in the Congress. The Congress reviewed annual activity reports, approved budgets and made decisions regarding the establishment of federations. This structure ensured the democratic representation of sport.

Federations were established when at least three regions organized within a particular sport. Each federation, including football, defined technical rules for its discipline, regulated refereeing and coaching processes, conducted national championships and organized match schedules. This federative structure replaced the fragmented league systems of early football with a nationally coordinated administrative framework.

TİCİ’s regional organization aimed to ensure that sport was not confined to major cities and achieved institutional structure nationwide. The bylaws detailed the organization of regional centers, regional sports councils and affiliated sports clubs. The fundamental condition for a region to be organized under TİCİ was the presence of at least three sports clubs.

The responsibilities of regional centers included enforcing TİCİ regulations, preparing for congresses, expanding regional sports facilities and coordinating with the central office. Regional sports councils ensured the local implementation of sports disciplines, organized match schedules, conducted regional referee training and submitted regular reports to federations. Clubs, as the most basic units of TİCİ, participated in regional and national competitions and operated in accordance with amateur principles.

This regional organization became a decisive factor in the nationwide expansion of sport, ensuring representation of local clubs at the federation and central levels. Thanks to this structure, all sports disciplines, including football, gained the opportunity to be conducted under a centralized plan for the first time.

The dissolution of the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı in 1936 marked the beginning of a new era in sports administration in Türkiye. At its eighth and final congress held between 13–18 February 1936, TİCİ dissolved itself and transferred its responsibilities regarding sports administration to a new structure, the Turkish Sports Organization (TSK). Turkish Sports Organization was established as a private legal entity headquartered in Ankara, aiming to conduct sport nationwide according to national and scientific principles.

The legal status of TSK was defined by a new understanding that repositioned sport at both state and societal levels. While during the TİCİ period club federative representation was more prominent, with the establishment of the Turkish Sports Organization, sports administration became more centralized to align with national objectives. This transformation resulted from linking sport’s institutional structure to the reforms of the Republican era and organizing sport within a new national project framework. TSK, in accordance with its bylaws, positioned sport as a force promoting social unity, even if not entirely independent of political ideology.

Documents from its founding period reveal that the Turkish Sports Organization was structured as an organization contributing to the national development of sport. Its bylaws emphasized the scientific dissemination of sport, the planning of sporting activities in accordance with the country’s physical and social conditions, and the systematic support of youth physical development as primary goals.

The founding objectives of TSK indicate that sport was intended not merely as a competitive arena but as a tool for strengthening national identity. The bylaws specified that the organization took the fundamental principles of the Turkish Revolution as its guide and emphasized the representative responsibility borne by athletes within and outside the country. The role of sport in society was redefined, and sports organizations were required to act in accordance with the principles of brotherhood, solidarity and discipline.

TSK aimed for the development of sport within the country based on amateur principles and adopted a policy of limited engagement with professionalism. TSK undertook responsibilities such as establishing sports centers, facilitating the construction of new sports facilities, producing publications to promote sport and managing external relations. Additionally, the organization was entrusted with the establishment of the Turkish Olympic Committee and played an active role in defining its functions and powers.

Regarding football, TSK’s objectives were built on sustaining the institutional gains football had achieved during the TİCİ period within a new centralized structure. During this period, football’s nationwide expansion became more systematic through sports regions, and institutional regulations were directed by the central headquarters. Football matches were planned within the operational areas of sports regions, and technical rules were implemented through federations.

TSK’s central organization consisted of several key bodies assuming decisive roles in sports administration: the Grand Congress, the General President, the General Headquarters Council and federations. The Grand Congress, convened every two years, included delegates from sports regions and clubs, as well as military and civilian representatives. Its responsibilities included reviewing management reports, evaluating accounts, electing the general president and other officials, and amending the bylaws. Thus, while TSK maintained a centralized structure, it preserved a significant representative system.

The General President was designated as the highest executive authority and granted the power to represent the organization domestically and internationally. The General President held authority to supervise the operations of federations, sports clubs and regional organizations, make necessary adjustments and issue statements on behalf of the organization. These responsibilities enabled the alignment of sports with state policies.

The General Headquarters Council convened under the chairmanship of the General President and consisted of the vice president, general secretary, inspectors, treasurer and federation presidents. Its responsibilities included preparing annual sports programs, making decisions regarding Turkish athletes’ participation in international competitions, drafting model bylaws for clubs, establishing sports centers and convening congresses when necessary. In this capacity, the General Headquarters Council functioned as a central administrative structure coordinating all elements of sport nationwide.

Federations represented the technical arm of TSK’s central organization. Under this system, each sport discipline was managed by its own federation, and the football federation, like others, operated under the supervision of the General Headquarters. Federations were responsible for defining technical rules, organizing match schedules, selecting national teams and overseeing training activities. This structure enabled the standardization of football’s technical and administrative rules at the national level.

TSK’s regional organization was a system established to implement and expand sport at the local level. Each province was designated as a sports region, and regional councils were formed within these regions. Regional councils consisted of a president, vice president, officials and, when necessary, other personnel, and were responsible for implementing the region’s sports program. Regional presidents were appointed by the General Headquarters Council upon the recommendation of the General President, ensuring centralized oversight.

The primary responsibilities of regional councils included promoting sport locally, encouraging the establishment of new clubs, opening sports centers, implementing directives from federations and organizing regional competitions. Sports regions also conducted activities supporting youth physical development and extended sporting activities to broader segments of the population.

In terms of football, this structure enabled the creation of regional leagues and ensured regular participation by clubs. Thanks to the systematic framework introduced by regional organization, football expanded beyond Istanbul and its surroundings, becoming more organized nationwide.

During this period, the relationship between football and TSK was significant in terms of centralizing administrative control and directing sports policies from a single center. The football federation operated under rules established by the General Headquarters, and numerous processes—from organizing matches to refereeing—were conducted within this administrative chain.

Although the activities following the establishment of the Turkish Sports Organization in 1936 ensured more systematic organization of sport in social life, changing political conditions and transformations in state governance necessitated a new institutional structure in sports. Accordingly, on 29 June 1938, Law No. 3530 established the General Directorate of Physical Education (BTGM), and sports administration in Türkiye entered a significant transformation process. With this law, the Turkish Sports Organization was abolished and sports administration began to be conducted directly through state institutions.

The establishment of the General Directorate of Physical Education aimed to treat sport not merely through clubs but as a nationwide state policy. BTGM’s structure placed sports administration within a more centralized and hierarchical framework, integrating it into a bureaucratic organizational model. This model replaced the autonomous structure seen during the Turkish Sports Organization period with a state-controlled sports system. The institutionalization of sport in alignment with education, health and youth policies formed one of the fundamental justifications for BTGM’s creation.

With the enforcement of Law No. 3530, the planning, implementation and supervision of sport were directly transferred to state authority; during this process, aspects of discipline, health and physical education were prioritized. The establishment of BTGM created the foundation for increased public investment in sport and the more orderly conduct of sporting activities.

The responsibilities of the General Directorate of Physical Education were defined within a broad framework focused on the national implementation of sport. Its duties included promoting physical education, expanding sports education, organizing national and international competitions, establishing and operating sports facilities, planning youth physical development and encouraging sports clubs. This scope necessitated viewing sport not only as a competitive dimension but also in conjunction with social health and education policies.

BTGM’s sports policies were based on the understanding that the state viewed sport as an area linked to the national education system. Key components of these policies included increasing youth participation in physical education programs, supporting sport in military and civilian educational institutions and treating sport as a disciplinary tool. It is noted that BTGM planned nationwide efforts to expand sport and led initiatives to increase the number of sports facilities and venues.

During this period, the national organization of sport led to the inclusion of all disciplines, including football, under the General Directorate. BTGM assumed responsibilities not only for high-level competitions but also for promoting amateur sport. The bylaws, organizational structures and activities of sports clubs were aligned with principles established by the state, and club supervision was carried out by BTGM.

BTGM’s organizational structure was designed to create a centralized authority suitable for state-led sports administration. Within this structure, the highest position was the General Director. The General Director was held responsible for the nationwide management of sport and granted broad authority over decision-making, implementation and supervision processes related to sporting activities. Under the General Director, specialized departments conducted work in areas such as physical education, training, competition organization, facility development and similar fields.

Regional organization was implemented through regional directorates. Each province was designated as a physical education region, and regional directorates were established within them. Regional directors were responsible for implementing programs determined by the central administration, organizing sporting activities, managing facilities and supervising club operations. Thus, the representative system seen during the Turkish Sports Organization period was replaced by a bureaucratic system managed by state-appointed officials.

BTGM’s regional structure aimed to ensure the disciplined nationwide spread of sport. Regional directorates implemented local sporting activities according to directives from the center, and the activities of all disciplines, including football, were planned within this system. Sports clubs were required to comply with principles established by BTGM to continue their operations. This situation increased state control over sports clubs and ensured the implementation of a state-centered model of sport.

With the establishment of BTGM, the administrative structure of football also changed. The football federation could no longer operate as an independent organization; instead, football, like all other sports disciplines, was treated as a subordinate unit under the General Directorate. The organization of football matches, planning of national championships, referee training and technical regulations were all carried out by BTGM’s departments.

During this period, football’s organizational structure came under stricter centralized control compared to the federative model of the Turkish Sports Organization. National football matches required BTGM approval, and clubs were obligated to comply with rules set by the General Directorate. According to sources, during this period, both the general structure of sport and the technical and administrative dimensions of football progressed in alignment with state policies.

Football’s administrative model during the BTGM period was shaped within the framework of integrating sport with national education, youth policies and discipline. Matches were not viewed solely as competitive events but also as tools supporting youth physical development. This period represented a phase in which Turkish football was entirely conducted under state control and laid the groundwork for the federation’s later restructuring.

Although football spread rapidly in Türkiye in the years immediately preceding the proclamation of the Republic, the absence of a national federation structure became a clear need. Sources clearly indicate that, beyond Istanbul-centered leagues in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, there was no comprehensive nationwide organization and no institutional structure capable of representing Türkiye internationally. As the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı assumed responsibility for nationwide sports organization, the necessity of managing football through a separate federation became increasingly evident. This need was considered important both for aligning with international regulations and for managing the rapidly growing football community under a single umbrella.

In this context, a significant turning point in Turkish sports history occurred in 1923. On 23 April 1923, at a meeting held in the Letafet Apartment in Şehzadebaşı, the first football federation was established under the name “Futbol Heyet-i Müttehidesi.” This structure later adopted the name Turkish Football Federation. Yusuf Ziya Öniş was appointed as its president. Thus, for the first time, football in Türkiye gained an independent organizational framework.

The establishment of the federation coincided with the shaping of the Republic’s sports policies and facilitated the integration of sport into modernization, national representation and state institutionalization. In the 1920s, the growing public interest in sport, particularly football, demonstrated the necessity of a federative structure, and the federation’s founding responded to this need.

Shortly after its establishment, steps were taken to enable Türkiye to establish official relations with the international football community. On 21 May 1923, Türkiye was accepted as the 26th member of FIFA. This process enabled Türkiye’s inclusion in the international football system and granted the country the right to participate in international matches. FIFA membership was not only a milestone for the football federation but also one of the first international representations of the young Republic in the field of sport.

Türkiye’s FIFA membership strengthened the federation’s status and made it mandatory to conduct football according to international rules. After membership, the federation became responsible for organizing international matches, communicating with foreign representatives and conducting football activities in compliance with FIFA regulations. This process contributed to the acceleration of institutionalization in Turkish football and the alignment of technical and administrative standards with international norms.

Following FIFA membership, the Turkish Football Federation’s first major activity was the formation of the national team and the planning of international matches. Türkiye’s first official national match was played on 26 October 1923, three days before the proclamation of the Republic, at Istanbul’s Taksim Stadium against Romania. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. The team had no foreign technical staff, nor was there yet an official selection system based on the education system; however, this match marked the first time Türkiye appeared on the international football stage at the national team level.

During this period, efforts were made to secure technical support for the national team, and Billy Hunter from Scotland was invited. Hunter became the first technical staff member to introduce Turkish footballers to the fundamental principles of modern football. Hunter prepared the national team for the 1924 Paris Olympic Games and introduced modern training methods. The match against Czechoslovakia, which ended in a 5-2 defeat, was Türkiye’s first official international match played abroad.

The period from the federation’s establishment until 1938 was decisive in shaping the organizational framework of Turkish football. During this time, the federation assumed responsibilities such as organizing national matches, establishing regional and national leagues, training referees and coordinating the activities of football clubs.

The first national championship under the federation’s supervision was held in Ankara and won by Harbiye. This organization marked the beginning of national football matches being conducted within a regular structure. Additionally, the standardization of refereeing was carried out under the federation’s guidance; in 1924, Hamdi Emin Çap’s officiating of a match between the Soviet Union and Türkiye, at FIFA’s request, constituted a significant milestone as the first time a Turkish referee officiated a national match.

One of the factors contributing to the nationwide spread of football during this period was the establishment of an away-league system. Known as the Milli Küme, these leagues, first organized in the 1930s, enabled clubs from different cities to compete, allowing football to move beyond a centralized structure and gain nationwide recognition. The increasing number of football clubs and the regular conduct of matches expanded the federation’s scope of responsibilities.

The federation’s activities were conducted alongside the state-centered sports policies of the Turkish Sports Organization and later the General Directorate of Physical Education. After 1938, the federation largely lost its autonomous structure and was placed within state administration. However, the period between 1923 and 1938 represented a time when football acquired a national identity, the foundations of national team organization were laid, and football began to establish a permanent place in Türkiye’s social life.

After many years of operating within state-centered sports administration, the Turkish Football Federation acquired an autonomous status through Law No. 3813, adopted on 17 June 1992. This regulation established the federation in a new legal and administrative position, enabling the independent management of football at the national level within an autonomous institutional framework. The law granted the federation legal personality with the aim of conducting football activities in accordance with national and international rules, representing Türkiye internationally and consolidating domestic football organization under a single structure.

During this period, Şenes Erzik became the first president elected to office. Thus, the federation’s executive body transitioned to a structure shaped by elections and more institutionalized decision-making processes. After autonomy, the federation’s administrative capacity expanded, and more independent mechanisms for decision-making regarding national and international activities were established.

With autonomy, the economic dimension of football became more visible, and systems for distributing broadcast rights began to be organized by the federation. The Pool System, implemented in 1996, ensured the distribution of broadcast revenues among clubs according to specific principles and significantly transformed the economic framework of professional football. With this system, broadcast revenues reached very high levels, and the Turkish football economy entered a period of growth.

During this period, the increase in sponsorship agreements also strengthened the economic position of national team organizations. Thanks to increased financial resources, the federation established funds to support club infrastructure investments and secured the necessary financial foundation for long-term institutional development within its own structure.

Following autonomy, comprehensive changes also occurred in the federation’s physical infrastructure. The Beylerbeyi Education and Research Center, the TFF Central Building in Levent and the National Teams Training and Education Facility in Riva were completed during this period. This infrastructure initiative enabled the systematic conduct of technical work, the professional implementation of national team preparation programs and the continuous nature of educational activities.

These facilities also had an impact at the club level; with funds allocated by the federation, numerous clubs improved their own sports facilities. Thus, the physical infrastructure was strengthened across all levels of football.

Participation in the European Championship in 1996 was one of the most important stages in the modern era of TFF’s national team organization, as it marked Türkiye’s first appearance in the European Championship finals. The formation of the 1996 squad, the conduct of qualifiers, player selections and tournament preparations were carried out through the coordinated efforts of the federation’s technical and administrative units. Although Türkiye did not advance beyond the group stage, participation in the tournament demonstrated that the federation had achieved a regular structure in international processes.

The performance of the national team in the early 2000s demonstrated the maturation of TFF’s long-term organizational structure. Reaching the quarterfinals of the 2000 European Championship, finishing third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and achieving third place in the 2003 Confederations Cup were the most visible outcomes of the federation’s national team planning. During these tournaments, the federation’s preparation camps, technical team structure, logistical arrangements and compliance with international standards demonstrated its technical and administrative capacity.

Türkiye’s participation in the 2008 European Championship and its successful advancement from the group stage also exemplify the continuation of the federation’s long-term organizational approach during this period. The management of qualifiers, squad planning and tournament coordination were all conducted by the federation, ensuring Türkiye’s participation in the tournament.

In the period following autonomy, the indirect influence of the federation is evident in the success of Turkish club teams in European competitions. Galatasaray’s victory in the UEFA Cup in 2000 and the hosting of the UEFA Super Cup in Türkiye the same year reflect the impact of the federation’s efforts to establish the technical and administrative foundation of national football at the club level. The federation’s role in defining professional football standards, managing league planning and regulating clubs’ participation in international competitions played a significant role in enabling Turkish clubs to adapt to the European football system.

TFF Presidents, during their terms, formed management councils, executive councils and oversight councils that established the federation’s decision-making mechanisms; the nationwide organization of football, preparation of statutes, updating of directives and conduct of international relations fell under the responsibility of these administrations.

Presidential terms were periods that determined the administrative stability of the federation and directed TFF’s organizational structure according to the needs of the time.

As of today, Ibrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu, who assumed office on 18.07.2024, is serving as president of the TFF. A list of all past TFF presidents can be accessed on the official website of the TFF.