Once giants of Turkish football, a growing number of clubs are plunging from the glitz of the Süper Lig into the shadows of amateur leagues – victims of spiraling debts, FIFA sanctions, and boardroom mismanagement.
In a footballing nation that once boasted UEFA contenders, today’s headlines are instead dominated by former titans like Altay, Yeni Malatyaspor, and Giresunspor, crashing through the divisions like dominoes – some vanishing entirely.
Ankaragücü: The latest to fall twice
Ankaragücü, who ended the 2023–24 Süper Lig campaign just one point short of survival, failed to steady their ship in the 1. Lig.
Despite a valiant end-of-season rally with three straight wins, they bowed out again – victims of inferior goal difference.
The double drop reflects a growing trend: clubs sliding down the ladder with alarming speed.
Yeni Malatyaspor: From Europe to rock bottom
Not long ago, Yeni Malatyaspor proudly flew the Turkish flag in European competition.
But following the 2023 earthquakes and deepening financial wounds, the club withdrew midseason and never recovered.
A roster packed with untested youth, point deductions from FIFA over unpaid debts, and a league-worst -21 points sent them spiraling to the bottom of the 1. Lig.
Altay: 111 years, 3 drops in 4 seasons
Founded in 1914, İzmir’s Altay is steeped in history – but that legacy offered no immunity.
Relegated from the Süper Lig in 2022, they tumbled again last year and now face life in the 3. Lig after finishing 17th in the 2. Lig Beyaz Grup.
Six points were docked by FIFA, and the Turkish FA lopped off another three due to licensing failures.
Giresunspor: From Süper Lig to just 1 point
Once battling giants in Turkey’s top flight, Giresunspor has become a cautionary tale.
After waving goodbye to the Süper Lig in 2023, the club lost its senior players, couldn’t register new signings due to a transfer ban, and ended the 2024 season in the 2. Lig Kırmızı Grup with a solitary point – after nine were deducted for debts and licensing issues.
Adanaspor: From earthquake exemption to relegation
Adanaspor, given temporary shelter from relegation due to the 2023 earthquake’s devastation, finally ran out of road.
Losing nine of their final 10 matches, the club finished with 30 points and dropped into the 2. Lig – its first time in the division in 17 years. The club’s 2016-17 Süper Lig appearance now feels like a distant memory.
From Süper Lig Spotlight to Amateur Obscurity
Denizlispor, a regular name in Turkish top-flight football, joined the ranks of the fallen.
Finishing 15th in the 3. Lig 4. Grup, the club will now play in the Bölgesel Amatör Lig (BAL). Akhisarspor, once a Turkish Cup and Super Cup winner, also withdrew from their league this season due to unpaid debts.
Karabük’s fall is perhaps the most tragic.
After finishing last in the Süper Lig in 2018, Kardemir Karabükspor rapidly disintegrated. By 2022, they withdrew from even the amateur leagues, their doors shuttered.
Other Süper Lig alumni – Gaziantepspor, Mersin İY, Orduspor, and Kayseri Erciyesspor – also vanished into the lower-tier ether, unable to reverse their downward spirals.
Road to redemption: Bursaspor and Eskişehirspor rise again
There is hope.
Bursaspor, crowned Süper Lig champions in 2010, completed a 3. Lig turnaround in 2025, returning to the 2. Lig after a one-season hiatus. The Green Crocodiles aim to rejoin the elite – but know the road remains long.
Eskişehirspor, who dropped out of the professional system in 2023, topped their group in the BAL with 67 points and secured promotion to the 3. Lig.
Kocaelispor: From the brink to the big time
Perhaps the biggest feel-good story comes from Kocaelispor.
On the verge of collapse in 2015, they were rescued by local authorities and climbed back, one league at a time.
After years of grit and grassroots support, the club topped the 1. Lig this season and will return to the Süper Lig in 2025 – their first top-tier appearance in 16 years.
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