Turkish Süper Lig

The Süper Lig is the top professional football division in Turkey. It was founded in 1959, replacing the old regional leagues and marking the beginning of national professional competition. The league is famous for its passionate fans, historic rivalries, and globally recognized clubs like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş.

History and facts

Before the Süper Lig was established, Turkey had strong regional leagues in Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir. In 1959, the Turkish Football Federation created a nationwide professional football competition — the Milli Lig, later renamed Süper Lig.

The Istanbul “Big Three” — Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Beşiktaş — have dominated the league for decades.

The league currently consists of 20 teams, featuring intense rivalries and some of the loudest stadium atmospheres in the world.

League system

The Süper Lig sits at the top of the Turkish football pyramid. Relegation connects it with the **TFF First League**, the second tier of Turkish football.

Table 1. Turkish football tiers

League	Tier
Süper Lig	1
TFF First League	2
TFF Second League	3
TFF Third League	4

Below tier 4, football is played in Turkish regional amateur divisions.

Stats

Teams with most titles

Table 2. Süper Lig champions

Club	Titles
Galatasaray	23+
Fenerbahçe	19
Beşiktaş	16+
Trabzonspor	7
Bursaspor	1

Galatasaray is the most successful club in Süper Lig history.

Teams with most league participation

Table 3. Clubs with most Süper Lig seasons

Club	Seasons
Beşiktaş	65+
Fenerbahçe	65+
Galatasaray	65+
Trabzonspor	50+
Gençlerbirliği	45+

The Istanbul Big Three have never been relegated and lead the participation charts.

Audience

Stadium capacities

Table 4. Major stadiums in the Süper Lig

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Galatasaray	Rams Park (Türk Telekom Arena)	52,233
Fenerbahçe	Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium	47,834
Beşiktaş	Vodafone Park	42,590
Trabzonspor	Şenol Güneş Stadium	40,782
Başakşehir	Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium	17,156

Players

Top goalscorers

• Hakan Şükür — 249 league goals (all-time record)
• Alex de Souza — Fenerbahçe legend
• Burak Yılmaz — top scorer & national team star
• Mario Gomez — standout at Beşiktaş
• Didier Drogba (Galatasaray)

Süper Lig timeline

1959 Milli Lig (national league) is founded — first nationwide Turkish league.

1963 League renamed as the Turkish First Football League.

2001 Modern Süper Lig branding introduced.

2011 Match-fixing scandal impacts league reforms.

2020 COVID-19 disrupts the season, but league continues without fans.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BCper_Lig
https://www.tff.org
https://www.rsssf.org