Livida Sport: A Global Guide to Football Transfers - Second Edition - Manual / Resource - Page 42
Turkey
Süper Lig
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The Süper Lig is the highest level of professional football in Turkey. Founded in 1959, the
league has historically been dominated by the 8Big Three9 clubs from Istanbul:
Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, who have 61 titles between them. Süper Lig clubs
also compete for the opportunity to participate in the major European competitions, with
the top spots securing access to the Champions League, Europa League and Europa
Conference League.
Drawn to the electric atmospheres, intense derbies and the prospect of top-tier European
football, some of football9s most coveted talents have made the switch to the Süper Lig
in recent years. Galatasary boast Victor Osimhen after his high-profile loan move in 2024,
while Ciro Immobile and Youssef En-Nesyri currently feature for Besiktas and
Fenerbahce, respectively.
What are the foreign player rules?
Overseas players in Turkey are classified not based on their nationality but on their
eligibility to play for the Turkish National A-Team. This season, Süper Lig clubs can list a
maximum of 12 non-eligible players, down from 14 last year. One more player may be
included over the 12 if they are from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan or
Turkmenistan. However, a maximum of six of those players are eligible to play on the
pitch at the same time
Of the 14 remaining eligible players in a squad of 26, two must have received training
from that club9s academy. The new rules have been designed by the Turkish Football
Federation (TFF) to promote the development of players for the national team as Turkey
looks to build on its run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2024.
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