[1][2] Melis Özçiğdem began her sports career after obtaining her license for İzmir Öztürkspor in her hometown on November 8, 1999.
On December 24 that year, she moved to Gazi Üniversitesispor, where she played until the end of the 2001–02 season in the First League capping 8 times and scoring 10 goals.
[3] Özçiğdem was admitted to the Turkey U-19 team and debuted in the 2000 UEFA Women's Under-18 Championship Second qualifying round match against Ireland on October 19, 1999.
She served in various competitions of the Turkish men's reserve team league, called A2 Ligi from November 15, 2010, on.
She officiated the 2018 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship Group B match Germany against Denmark in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland on 18 July 2018.
In 2018, she served as referee further in the Round of 32 match at the 2018–19 UEFA Women's Champions League knockout phase between AFC Ajax Vrouwen and AC Sparta Praha in Duivendrecht, Netherlands on 12 September.