Organising body | Turkish Football Federation |
---|---|
Founded | 1924 |
Country | Turkey |
Number of teams | 20 |
Level on pyramid | Level 1 |
Current champions | Galatasaray (2023–24) |
Most championships | All-time: Fenerbahçe (28 titles) [1] Recognized: Galatasaray (24 titles) |
Current: 2023–24 |
The Turkish football champions are the annual winners of the highest association football competition in Turkey. Brought to the country by Englishmen, the sport had first taken root in Istanbul, where the Istanbul Football League was founded and became the first football league in Turkey. Other regional and local leagues followed in other major cities, such as Ankara (1922), Adana (1924), Eskişehir (1924), and İzmir (1924).
The first competition to bring forth a national champion was the Turkish Football Championship (Turkish : Türkiye Futbol Şampiyonası), which began in 1924 and continued until 1951. [2] The championship format was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's top regional leagues. At the end of the 1924 edition, Harbiye were the first club to be crowned champions after completing their fixture unbeaten. [3] They are also the only club who have ever changed their name after winning a championship title, changing their name to Harp Okulu after the first of their three titles. Started in 1937, the National Division (Turkish: Millî Küme) was the first national league competition and was held until 1950. [4]
A few years later, in 1959, the professional nationwide league was introduced, currently known as the Süper Lig. The league is contested on a double round-robin basis and the championship is awarded to the team that is top of the league at the end of the season. The league originally contained 16 teams. Today the Süper Lig is contested by 18 teams. Of the founding clubs in the league, only Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray have not been relegated to date. Galatasaray are the most successful Süper Lig club with 24 titles. Fenerbahçe are the most successful club including championships before the start of Süper Lig (1959), having won 28 titles in total so far. [5] [6] However, the Turkish Football Federation denies and does not recognise the titles won in the former Turkish Football Championship and National Division, even though they were official championships organised by the TFF itself.
Currently there is an ongoing case concerning the recognition of the titles before 1957 by the TFF, after several clubs have formally appealed to the federation for officially recognizing the titles in question. [7]
Football in Turkey stems back to the late 19th century, when Englishmen brought the game with them while living in Salonica (then part of the Turkish Empire). [8] The first league competition was the Istanbul Football League, a regional league for Istanbul clubs which took place for the first time in the 1904–05 season. Shortly after the foundation of the Turkish Republic and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), several other regional leagues were officially established (or gained official status as some were already founded earlier) in various major cities: Ankara (1922), Adana (1924), Bursa (1924), Eskişehir (1924), İzmir (1924), and Trabzon (1922). [9]
The first competition to bring forth a national champion was the Turkish Football Championship (Turkish : Türkiye Futbol Şampiyonası), which began in 1924 and continued until 1951. [10] The championship format was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of the country's top regional leagues. In some of the early years, the championship could not be held due to insufficient funds. [11]
Started in 1937, the National Division (Turkish: Millî Küme) was a national league competition between the strongest clubs of Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir, which hosted the strongest regional leagues in those decades. The league lasted until 1950. [12] From 1940 to 1950, both top-level championships existed at the same time, which resulted in there being two national champions within a year. Since the National Division was based on a league format, with home and away matches on a regular basis and a higher number of matches overall, it was more popular and competitive than the Turkish Championship and overshadowed it.
In 1951 the TFF introduced professionalism in Turkish football. Shortly after, the top-level Istanbul League and the clubs playing there adopted professionalism, while the Ankara and İzmir clubs followed some years later in 1955. After that point the Turkish Football Championship was no longer open to professional clubs, hence the professional departments of the Istanbul clubs could no longer participate in the championship. 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 the European Cup in the 1956–57 season.
Protests of some Ankara and İzmir clubs regarding this decision, as well as UEFA deciding to only accept national champions to the European Cup from that season on induced the TFF to establish the Federation Cup in 1956. The competition took place as a knock-out tournament to decide a national champion. The Federation Cup was held for two years until it was replaced by the Süper Lig (then known as Millî Lig) in 1959. Beşiktaş won both editions and earned the right to represent Turkey twice in the European Cup during the two-year span. However, since the Turkish Football Federation failed to register them for the draw in time, they were not able to participate in the 1957–58 season after all. [13] [14]
After some years of preparation and planning, the professional nationwide league called Millî Lig (National League) was finally introduced in 1959. Eligible for the newly established nationwide league were the top clubs of the regional Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir leagues. The inaugural season took place in the calendar year of 1959, instead of 1958–59, since the regional leagues leading to qualification took place in 1958. The clubs competing in the first season were Adalet, Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, Beykoz, Karagümrük, Fenerbahçe, İstanbulspor, Vefa (all from Istanbul), Ankaragücü, Ankara Demirspor, Gençlerbirliği, Hacettepe (all from Ankara), Altay, Göztepe, İzmirspor, and Karşıyaka (all from İzmir). The first champions were Fenerbahçe and the first "Gol Kralı" (top scorer) was Metin Oktay. [15]
The 2. Lig (Second League) was created at the start of the 1963–64 season and the National League (Millî Lig) became known as the 1. Lig (First League). After the creation of a new second division in 2001, from then on known as 1. Lig, the formerly titled 1. Lig became the current Süper Lig. [16]
According to historians' analysis of the 2002 Turkish Football Federation Arbitration Court decision, which stated that the Turkish League Championships began before 1959 and the championships before 1959 cannot be left uncounted. [17] [18]
The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of titles won in total since 1924.
Season | Winners | Runners-up [5] | Leading goalscorer [19] | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1924 | Harbiye (1) | Bahriye | not available | |
1925–26 | Not held due to insufficient funds. | |||
1927 | Muhafızgücü (1) | Altınordu | not available | |
1928–31 | Not held due to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam and insufficient funds. | |||
1932 | İstanbulspor (1) | Altınordu | not available | |
1933 | Fenerbahçe (1) | İzmirspor | Zeki Rıza (Fenerbahçe) | 10 |
1934 | Beşiktaş (1) | Altay | not available | |
1935 | Fenerbahçe (2) | Altınordu | not available | |
1936–39 | Not held due to the introduction of the National Division. | |||
1940 | Eskişehir Demirspor (1) | Fenerbahçe | not available | |
1941 | Gençlerbirliği (1) | Beşiktaş | not available | |
1942 | Harp Okulu (2) | Göztepe | not available | |
1943 | Not held | |||
1944 | Fenerbahçe (3) | Harp Okulu | not available | |
1945 | Harp Okulu (3) | İzmit Harp Filosu | not available | |
1946 | Gençlerbirliği (2) | Beşiktaş | not available | |
1947 | Ankara Demirspor (1) | Fenerbahçe | not available | |
1948 | Not held due to the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. | |||
1949 | Ankaragücü (1) | Galatasaray | not available | |
1950 | Göztepe (1) | Gençlerbirliği | not available | |
1951 | Beşiktaş (5) | Altay | not available |
(recognized by TFF since 2002)
Season | Winners [5] [22] | Runners-up [20] | Third place [20] | Leading goalscorer [19] [23] | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1956–57 | Beşiktaş (6) | Galatasaray | Altay | Nazmi Bilge (Beşiktaş) | 8 |
1957–58 | Beşiktaş (7) | Galatasaray | — | Lefter Küçükandonyadis (Fenerbahçe) Metin Oktay (Galatasaray) | 10 |
Over the history of the Turkish football championships 15 different clubs have won the title. The most successful club are Fenerbahçe with 28 titles to their credit, most of those coming in Süper Lig competition. They are also the most successful pre-Süper Lig club with 9 titles overall in that era, 6 of them won in the National Division and 3 in the former Turkish Football Championship. [1]
In the table below all national championship titles since 1924 are included, including the former Turkish Football Championship and National Division, which are denied and not recognized by the Turkish Football Federation, even though they were official championships organized by the TFF itself. [5]
Club | Winners [5] | Runners-up | Winning years | Runners-up years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fenerbahçe | 28 | 29 | 1933, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1959, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2013–14 | 1940, 1944, 1947, 1947, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
Galatasaray | 25 | 19 | 1939, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2022–23, 2023–24 | 1937, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1949, 1950, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1959, 1960–61, 1965–66, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1990–91, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2013–14, 2020–21 |
Beşiktaş | 21 | 19 | 1934, 1941, 1944, 1947, 1951, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1994–95, 2002–03, 2008–09, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2020–21 | 1938, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1946, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1967–68, 1973–74, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2006–07 |
Trabzonspor | 7 | 9 | 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 2021–22 | 1977–78, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2010–11, 2019–20 |
Harp Okulu | 3 | 1 | 1924, 1942, 1945 | 1944 |
Gençlerbirliği | 2 | 1 | 1941, 1946 | 1950 |
İstanbul Başakşehir | 1 | 2 | 2019–20 | 2016–17, 2018–19 |
Göztepe | 1 | 1 | 1950 | 1942 |
Ankara Demirspor | 1 | 1 | 1947 | 1939 |
Bursaspor | 1 | — | 2009–10 | — |
MKE Ankaragücü | 1 | — | 1949 | — |
Eskişehir Demirspor | 1 | — | 1940 | — |
Güneş | 1 | — | 1938 | — |
İstanbulspor | 1 | — | 1932 | — |
Muhafızgücü | 1 | — | 1927 | — |
Only six clubs have been champions since the beginning of the Süper Lig in 1959: Galatasaray 24 times, Fenerbahçe 19 times, Beşiktaş 16 times (with an additional two titles counted for star purposes, see note below), Trabzonspor 7 times, and Bursaspor and Başakşehir once.
Club | Winners [22] | Runners-up | Winning years | Runners-up years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Galatasaray | 24 | 13 | 1962, 1963, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 | 19571, 19581, 1959, 1961, 1966, 1975, 1979, 1986, 1991, 2001, 2003, 2014, 2021 |
Fenerbahçe | 19 | 25 | 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014 | 1960, 1962, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
Beşiktaş | 16 | 14 | 19571, 19581, 1960, 1966, 1967, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2003, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2021 | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007 |
Trabzonspor | 7 | 9 | 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 2022 | 1978, 1982, 1983, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2020 |
Başakşehir | 1 | 2 | 2020 | 2017, 2019 |
Bursaspor | 1 | — | 2010 | — |
Eskişehirspor | — | 3 | — | 1969, 1970, 1972 |
Sivasspor | — | 1 | — | 2009 |
Adanaspor | — | 1 | — | 1981 |
1 Beşiktaş formally requested that championships won in the 1956–57 and 1957–58 editions of the Turkish Federation Cup be counted as Turkish championship titles to the Turkish 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 the European Cup. [5] Beşiktaş had therefore earned the right to represent Turkey in the 1957–58 and 1958–59 seasons of the European Cup. [14] However, since the Turkish Football Federation failed to register them for the draw in time, they were not able to participate in the 1957–58 season after all. [13] The ruling on this matter was announced in a press release on March 25, 2002, which indicated that the championships won by Beşiktaş in the Federation Cup will be considered as national championship titles.
The honor of Golden Stars was introduced to recognize sides that have won multiple championships or other honours by the display of gold 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. For the 2024–25 season Galatasaray are permitted four golden stars, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş are permitted three golden stars, and Trabzonspor are permitted one golden star to be placed above their crest on their jerseys. [25]
The Turkish Football Federation is the governing body of association football in Turkey. It was formed on 23 April 1923, and joined FIFA the same year and UEFA in 1962. It organizes the Turkey national football team, the Turkish Football League and the Turkish Cup.
The Süper Lig, officially known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system and is run by the Turkish Football Federation. In the 2023–2024 season, twenty clubs compete, where a champion is decided and three clubs are promoted from, and another four relegated to the 1. Lig. The season runs from August to May, with each club playing 38 matches. Matches are played Friday through Monday.
The 1958–59 season was the 54th season of competitive football in Turkey.
The 1959 Turkish National League was the first season of the professional nationwide league in Turkey, known as Süper Lig today. The National League replaced the previous Turkish football league, the Turkish Federation Cup. The first season consisted of 16 clubs split into two groups: the Kırmızı Grup and Beyaz Grup, the colours of the Turkish flag. The first season took place in the calendar year of 1959, instead of 1958–59, as the qualifying stages took place in 1958.
Football was introduced to the Ottoman Empire by Englishmen living in the area. The first matches took place in Selanik, now known as Thessaloniki, in 1875. F.C. Smyrna was the first football club established in Turkey. The same men brought football from İzmir to Istanbul in 1895. The first competitive matches between İzmir and Istanbul clubs took place in 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1904. The İzmir team won every match.
The 1959–60 Turkish National League was the second season of professional football in Turkey. The league consisted of 20 clubs, with Beşiktaş J.K. winning their third championship.
The 1960–61 Turkish National League was the third season of professional football in Turkey. The league consisted of 20 clubs, with Fenerbahçe winning their second title.
The 1961–62 Turkish National League was the fourth season of professional football in Turkey. The league consisted of 20 clubs, with Galatasaray winning their first title.
The Turkish Football Championship was a top-level football competition in Turkey. It was the first nationwide championship in Turkish football history. The championship was organised by the Turkish Football Federation. The tournament system was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's regional leagues.
The National Division or National League was a top-level football competition organised by the Turkish Football Federation, including the most successful teams from Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir in Turkey. It was the first national league in Turkish football history. The league was played from 1937 to 1950.
The 1937 National Division was the first edition of the Turkish National Division. For the first time in Turkish football history the strongest clubs from the major regional leagues played against each other in a national league. Fenerbahçe won their first title.
The 1938 National Division was the second edition of the Turkish National Division. Güneş SK won their first title.
The 1939 National Division was the third edition of the Turkish National Division. Galatasaray won their first title.
The 1941 National Division was the fifth edition of the Turkish National Division. Beşiktaş won their first title.
The 1943 National Division was the sixth edition of the Turkish National Division. Fenerbahçe won their third title.
The 1947 National Division was the tenth edition of the Turkish National Division. Beşiktaş won their third title.
This page details football records and statistics in Turkey.
Trabzonspor is one of the "4 big clubs" in Turkish football. Formed in 1967 through a merger, Trabzonspor's history dates back to two of the clubs, the foundation year of İdmanocağı and İdmangücü. This article tells the story from the foundation of the first clubs in the port city of Trabzon.
The 1963–64 season was the 60th season of competitive football in Turkey.
The 1959–60 season was the 55th season of competitive football in Turkey.
... Fenerbahçe, toplamda 28 Türkiye şampiyonluğu ile en çok şampiyon olan Türk futbol takımıdır. Süper Lig'de 19 kez, Millî Küme'de 6, Türkiye Futbol Şampiyonası'nda ise 3 kez birinci olarak Türk futbol tarihinde en çok millî şampiyonluk yaşamış takımdır ...'
1936'ya kadar süren bu dönemde ilk Türkiye Şampiyonası Ankara'da yapılmış ve şampiyon Harbiye olmuştur.
...ilk deplasmanlı lig kapsamındaki Milli Küme maçları da yine bu dönemde tertip edilmiştir.
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(help)... Öncelikle şu iki hususu net bir şekilde söylemek lazım. Kimse 1959 öncesini yok saymıyor. Tahkim Kurulu'nun 2002 yılında verdiği kararla 59 öncesine geçilmiştir. Tahkim'in kararı varken 59 öncesi sayılmıyor diyemeyiz. ...'
... Tahkim Kurulu 2002 yılında almış olduğu kararda Türkiye liglerinin bir 1959'da başlamadığını net bir şekilde şey yapmış Ortaya koymuş ...'