Investigation Opened Over Allegations That Acun Ilıcalı Failed to Pay Hull City Players Their Premier League Promotion Bonus

Turkish media mogul and businessman Acun Ilıcalı's English football club Hull City has been hit by a serious allegation in the immediate aftermath of its historic promotion to the Premier League. According to reports from Yeniçağ and Onedio, Ilıcalı allegedly failed to pay a bonus he had promised players at the start of the season in the event of promotion to the top flight. Ilıcalı himself has since explained how the bonus in question came to be 'forgotten'.

Hull City secured one of the most significant achievements in the club's history this season by winning promotion from England's second division, the Championship, to the Premier League. The bonus dispute, however, is reportedly emerging as a serious source of discord within the club. According to Hürriyet, the situation has also drawn considerable attention among Turkish football fans.

It remains unclear from current reports whether the investigation was initiated by English football authorities or internally by the club itself. Acun Ilıcalı acquired Hull City in 2022.