Football in Turkey stems back to the late 19th century, whenEnglishmen brought the game with them while living inSalonica (then part of the Ottoman Empire).[4] The first league competition was theIstanbul Football League, which took place in the 1904–05 season. The league went through several variations until the creation of theMillî Lig (Süper Lig) in 1959. Between the creation of the Istanbul League and Millî Lig, several other regional leagues took place:Adana (1924),Ankara (1922),Eskişehir (1924),İzmir (1924), Bursa (1924), andTrabzon (1922), to name a few. The first competition to bring forth a national champion was the formerTurkish Football Championship, which began in1924 and continued until1951.[5] The championship format was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's top regional leagues.[6] TheNational Division (Turkish:Millî Küme) was the first national league competition in Turkey. Started in 1937, the National Division consisted of the strongest clubs from theAnkara,Istanbul, andİzmir leagues. The championship lasted until 1950.[7][8]
In 1952 theTFF introduced professionalism in Turkish football.[9] As a result, the former Turkish Football Championship lost its first level status. Since there was no top-level national champion in the period from 1952 to 1955, the Turkish federation sent Galatasaray, winners of the 1955–56 Istanbul League, to theEuropean Cup in the1956–57 season.
Protests of some Ankara and İzmir clubs regarding this decision, as well asUEFA deciding to only accept national champions to the European Cup from that season on induced the TFF to establish theFederation Cup in 1956. It is the first professional national football league in Turkey and the predecessor to the Super League(Millî Lig). The competition took place as a knock-out tournament to decide a national champion. This champion would go on to participate in theEuropean Cup. The competition was held for two seasons until it was replaced by the Millî Lig.Beşiktaş won both editions and qualified for the European Cup during the two-year span. However, since the TFF failed to register their name for the draw in time, Beşiktaş could not participate in the1957–58 season after all.[10][11]
The2. Lig (Second League) was created at the start of the1963–64 season and the Millî Lig became known as the 1.Lig (First League). Before the foundation of a second division, the bottom three clubs competed with regional league winners in a competition called theBaraj Games. The top three teams of the group were promoted to the Süper Lig. After the foundation of a new second division in 2001, known as the 1. Lig, the formerly titled 1. Lig was rebranded as Süper Lig.[13] The Süper Lig is home of theFenerbahçe–Galatasaray derby, the most watched football game in Turkey. It is considered to be one of the best and most intense in the world, being ranked among the greatestfootball rivalries of all time by various international sources.[14][15][16]
On 12 December 2023, the Turkish Football Federation suspended all league games indefinitely following an incident during a match betweenMKE Ankaragucu andCaykur Rizespor which involved fans being able to successfully invade the pitch and people, including recent MKE Ankaragucu presidentFaruk Koca, being arrested after attacking refereeHalil Umut Meler.[17][18] Koca would resign from MKE Ankaragucu as well.[18] However, on 13 December, the same day Meler was discharged from the hospital it was soon agreed that Super Lig matches would resume on 19 December.[19][20]
The Süper Lig championship trophy, used from2014–15 until2023–24 (except for centennial version during the2022–23 season)
There were 18 clubs in the Süper Lig until 2020. 20 Clubs are competing in the Süper Lig starting from 2020. During the course of the season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then head-to-head record, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the head-to-head record and then goal difference determine the winner. The three lowest placed teams are relegated to the1. Lig and the top two teams from the 1. Lig, together with the winner of play-offs involving the third to seventh placed 1. Lig clubs are promoted in their place.[21]
The champions and runners-up qualify for the second qualifying round of theChampions League. The third place and theTurkish Cup winners qualify for the second qualifying round of theEuropa Conference League. If the Turkish Cup winner has already qualified for European competition through their league finish, then the team that finishes fourth in the league takes their place.
On 28 November 2016 Qatari media groupbeIN (owner ofDigiturk since 2015) won a 5-year deal to become the TV tender of the Süper Lig. They won the rights with a record offer worth $500M per season. Digiturk continued to offer the sports content with beIN’s support.[26]
Before the start of the 2019–20 season, due to the wild fluctuations in value of theTurkish lira, beIN seek to renegotiate the fees for the upcoming season. The broadcaster settled on a $410 million agreement with the TFF.[27]
On 18 November 2020, after originally signing a deal (in 2016) where the annual fees were split evenly between Turkish lira and US dollars, the wild fluctuations in value of the Turkish lira saw beIN seek to renegotiate the fees for the Süper Lig. The new reduced fee (₺2.65 billion/$340 million) had to be paid exclusively in Turkish lira, and took into account the financial realities of theCOVID-19 crisis. Despite a drop in overall value, the Süper Lig’s TV rights income remained the sixth highest in Europe.[28]
Due to the several negotiations and currency fluctuations, the 2021–22 season's deal was decreased to $215 million.[29]
On 2 March 2024 Turkish Football Federation stated that Qatari media groupbeIN has renewed its rights to broadcast Turkey's top flight matches for three more years, until 2027.[31] beIN will pay $182 million-a-year to broadcast Turkey's Süper Lig andTFF First League.[32] As such, Süper Lig becomes the 6th most valuable football league after theBig Five leagues inEurope.[33]
Süper Lig ranks 9th inUEFA Country Rankings 2024. The league made a big breakthrough in the early 90s and became one of the most valuable leagues in Europe. Süper Lig achieved the best ranking in its history in 2001 by rising to 7th place. In 1982, the league dropped to 28th place, achieving the worst ranking in its history.
1Beşiktaş formally requested that championships won in the1956–57 and1957–58 editions of theTurkish Federation Cup be counted as Turkish Professional First Division championships to theTurkish Football Federation. The Cup was established in 1956 to find a national champion to represent Turkey, after UEFA decided that only national champions could participate in theEuropean Cup.[37]Beşiktaş had therefore earned the right to represent Turkey in theEuropean Cup in the1957–58 and1958–59 seasons.[38]The ruling on this matter was announced in a press release on 25 March 2002, which indicated that the championships won by Beşiktaş in the Federation Cup would be counted as national league championships.
The honor ofGolden Stars was introduced in football to recognize sides that have won multiple championships or other honours by the display ofgold stars on their team badges and jerseys. In Turkey, clubs are permitted to place a golden star above their crest for every five national championships won. As of the 2024–25 season,Galatasaray are permitted five golden stars,Fenerbahçe andBeşiktaş are permitted three golden stars, andTrabzonspor are permitted one golden star to be placed above their crest on their jerseys.
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