Women's football in Turkey
Introduction '''Women's football in Turkey''' is the women's branch of football in Turkey and is governed by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF).
History === Friendship matches ===Although Turkey is one of the first countries to adapt women's rights, its practical realization in every part of the society took time. Due to differentiation in the society between men's and women's sports, Turkish women fell behind men in sports. The slogan "football is a men's sport" caused that women were not interested in football in the early days. This incorrect assessment and approach hindered that the number of participants in women's football, like women audience, women footballers, women coaches, women managers and women referees, did not reach the desired level.The first recorded involvement of women in football took place when six women played in a mixed-gender match in İzmir on 24 May 1954.The first ever football match of only women was played between the İzmir Women's Football team and Istanbul Women's Football team at Mithatpaşa Stadium in Istanbul, today Vodafone Park, on 4 July 1954.During a sports festival on 10 July 1955, one more  football match was played between women's teams. There is no indication of women's football event between 1955 and 1969.On 22 August 1969, the first international women's football game in Turkey was played between Italy Girls' and the Joint-Europe Girls' teams at Mithatpaşa Stadium. The match ended with a draw of 1–1 while the Turkish player Afitap scored the only goal of the Joint-Europe team. In 1969, Kınalıada Sports Club in Istanbul formed a girls' football team, which played miniature football in the gym. The team later continued their activities competing against boys' football teams.In 1971, Haluk Hekimoğlu formed a women's team named "Istanbul Kız Futbol Takımı" (Istanbul Girls' Football Team) with 13 young women on his own personal efforts. This team pioneered the foundation of the country's first women's football club Dostluk Spor (Turkish for "Friendship"), which was officially registered as an association on 19 April 1973 at Moda neighborhood of Kadıköy district in Istanbul. Due to lack of any other women's football teams, Dostluk Spor played demonstration games with men's teams of retired or junior players before some jubilee matches, derbies and season's opening games between 1973 and 1978.The team contributed much to the women's football in Turkey playing in many cities of the country. Their fundraising matches after the 1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye earthquake in Van, eastern Turkey helped growing of social responsibility in the society. The team's advertisement in the newspapers to recruit women players found positive response.Dostluk Spor's success led soon to the establishment of other women's football teams such as Filizspor in İzmir formed in 1978 by the female students of the Namık Kemal High School, and İncirlispor, Nazende Spor in Ankara the same year. A friendly match played between Filizspor and Dostluk Spor at İzmir Alsancak Stadium ended with the Dostluk Spor's victory of 14–0.Foundation of women's teams in Kocaeli and Samsun followed later. In 1979, Dostluk Spor played a friendly match with the German team SC 07 Bad Neuenahr losing 0–4.This was Dostluk Spor team's first ever international match, and also the first ever international women's football match at clubs' level played in Turkey. On 17 August 1980, Dostluk Spor met Filizspor from İzmir again at Vefa Stadium, Istanbul. An outpoint like in the first match in 1978 was not possible this time, the team from İzmir was defeated only by 2–1.With the foundation of Atılımspor and Deryaspor in 1980, the number of women's football teams in Istanbul reached three.=== Establishment of leagues ===With the formation of Dinarsu Women's Football Team in 1982, women's football in Turkey rose to higher levels. Finally, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) decided at its board meeting on December 22, 1993, to officially establish a league for women's football. Later on, the TFF published the format and the rules for the Turkish Women's Football League. On March 1, 1994, the schedule of the league matches was determined for a total of 16 teams in four groups to meet each other in turn. The beginning of the first women's league season was planned for March 20, 1994.However, the start was postponed to April 2–3 due to the 1994 local elections held on March 27.Ten years later, there were ten teams active, and the Women's League was dissolved. According to Adnan Ersan, deputy secretary general of the TFF, the league based on a wrong system. The clubs paid barely attention to the provision of experience and training for young players. They did not look ahead for the future, and deployed players older than twenty years of age. Moreover, the women's national team played no matches from Mai 2000 on. A great many of factors, which sent women's football in Turkey into offside.In 2006, the Turkish Women's League was re-established with seven teams, and the Turkish women participated again at international competitions. In the meantime, the government supported the development. The Turkish Ministry of National Education coined a concept in cooperation with the Football Federation that envisaged the establishment of girls' football teams in primary and secondary schools. The women's football in Turkey revived, however the national team was composed of young players of amateur-level experience only. National teams of girls' U-17 and U-15 were established in order to feed the women's national team. Young women's footballers in Germany with Turkish-background were seen as a fill-in to strengthen the national team qualitatively, and were called up.In order to contribute to the development of women's football, the Board of Directors of the Turkish Football Federation decided on 27 October 2021 to establish the Türkcell Women's Super Football League as the top-flight of the Turkish women's football league system beginning in the 2021–22 season. The 2021–22 Türkcell Women's Football Super League consisted of 24 teams.In the 2022–23 season, the number of leagues increased to four.The number of women's clubs was seven with 130 licensed footballers in the 2005–06 season. As of the 2010–11 season, there were 72 clubs with 1,500 players.
Pyramid LevelLeague(s)/division(s)1'''Women's Süper Lig'''''(16 clubs)''2'''Women's 1.Lig''''''Group A'''''(9 clubs)'''''Women's 1.Lig''''''Group B'''''(8 clubs)''3'''Women's 2.Lig''''''Group A'''''(8 clubs)'''''Women's 2.Lig''''''Group B'''''(7 clubs)'''''Women's 2.Lig''''''Group C'''''(8 clubs)'''''Women's 2.Lig''''''Group D'''''(8 clubs)''4'''Women's 3.Lig'''''(74 clubs across 16 groups)''
Competitions Until the 2021–22 season, the following competition categories existed for women's football:=== Women's football leagues ===From the 2022–23 season on, the women's league system was extended to four leagues.==== Top level league ====Marmara Üniversitesi Spor (blue/black) vs Konak Belediyespor (red) at the 2013–14 Turkish Women's First League===== Women's Football League (1993–2003, 2006–2008) =====The Women's First League () is the top national competition for women's football in Turkey. The league was established in 1993 starting with the 1993–94 season. The 2000–01 season was apparently the first official competition. Three consecutive seasons between 2003 and 2005 were not played.===== Women's Football First League (2008–2020) =====The number of clubs competing in the First League varied from season to season, and dropped from ten in the 2012–13 season to eight in the 2013–14 season. The last standing clubs are relegated to the lower Second League. The number of clubs competing in the First League increased from 10 to 12 in the 2019–20 First League season.===== Women's Football League (2020–21) =====With the sponsorship of the mobile phone operator Türkcell, the league was named 2020–21 Turkcell Women's Football League as other sub-level leagues were not played dure to the pandemic. The number of clubs increased from 12 to 16 with promoting of four clubs from the 2019–20 Women's Second League to the existing 12 clubs.===== Women's Football Super League (2021– ) =====By October 2021, the Turkish Football federation (TFF) established the Türkish Women's Football Super League (), which is called Turkcell Women's Football Super League for sponsorship reasons. Eight clubs of the Süper Lig founded women's football teams and joined the newly established league, chich consists of 24 clubs. The 2021–22 Turkcell Women's Football Super League is played in two groups of 12 teams. The first standing four teams compete in the play-offs, and the last standing four teams of each group will in the play-outs. Four unsuccessful team relegate to the second-level league.The following teams played once in the top-level league:Club HometownAltay S.K. İzmirAmasya Eğitim Spor AmasyaAntalya Yenikapıspor AntalyaBeden Eğitimispor Bucaspor İzmir Bursa Sağlıkgücü Gençlikspor BursaÇamlıcaspor IstanbulDerince Belediyespor KocaeliDinarsuspor IstanbulDostluk Spor IstanbulDudullu Spor IstanbulElitspor İzmirEskişehirspor EskişehirEskişehir Lisesi Spor EskişehirGazi Üniversitesispor AnkaraGazikentspor GaziantepGölcükspor KocaeliHatay Dumlupınarspor HatayHatayspor Hatayİlkadım Belediyesi Samsunİzmit Çenesuyu Plajyoluspor Kocaeliİzmit Belediyespor KocaeliKarşıyaka BESEM Spor İzmirKartalspor IstanbulKayseri Kadın FK KayseriKireçburnu Spor IstanbulKocaeli Bayan F.K. KocaeliLüleburgaz 39 Spor KırklareliMalatya Gençlikspor MalatyaMaltepe Yalıspor IstanbulMarmara Üniversitesi Spor IstanbulMarshall Boyaspor IstanbulMersin Camspor MersinMersin Gençlerbirliği MersinMersingücü Cengiz Topelspor MersinSakarya Yenikent Güneşspor SakaryaSivasspor SivasSoyaspor Gençlik OrduZeytinburnuspor Istanbul;ChampionsLeague champion team represents Turkey at the UEFA Women's Champions League.Season Club City No. of clubs1994 Dinarsuspor Istanbul 201994–95 Dinarsuspor (2) Istanbul 201995–96 Dinarsuspor (3) Istanbul 281996–97 Dinarsuspor (4) Istanbul 191997–98 Zara Ekinlispor Istanbul 191998–99 Zara Ekinlispor (2) Istanbul 141999-00 Delta Mobilyaspor Istanbul 112000–01 Kuzeyspor Istanbul 122001–02 Samsungücü Samsun 2002–03 Gazi Üniversitesispor Ankara 102003–04 ''no league played''2004–05 ''no league played''2005–06 ''no league played''2006–07 Gazi Üniversitesispor (2) Ankara 152007–08 Gazi Üniversitesispor (3) Ankara 152008–09 Trabzonspor Trabzon 102009–10 Gazi Üniversitesispor (4) Ankara 102010–11 Ataşehir BelediyesporIstanbul 122011–12 Ataşehir Belediyespor (2)Istanbul 122012–13 Konak Belediyesporİzmir 102013–14 Konak Belediyespor (2) İzmir 82014–15 Konak Belediyespor (3) İzmir 102015–16 Konak Belediyespor (4) İzmir 102016–17 Konak Belediyespor (5) İzmir 102017–18 Ataşehir Belediyespor (3) Istanbul 102018–19 Beşiktaş J.K. Istanbul 102019–20 ALG Spor (1) Gaziantep 122020–21 Beşiktaş J.K. (2) Istanbul 162021–22 ALG Spor (2) Gaziantep 242022–23 Ankara BB Fomget GSK Ankara 19'''Notes:'''*1) declared league first by the Turkish Football Federation after the season discontinued due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.==== Second level league ====Turkish Women's Second League match between Akdeniz Nurçelik Spor (black/red) and Osmaniye Kadın Spor (green/yellow) in the 2018–19 season.===== Women's Football Second League (2008–2020) =====The Women's Second League () is the regional organization for all the clubs, which do not take part in the Women's First League. At the end of each league season, last placed teams of the First League are relegated to the Second League. The top standing teams of the Second League are promoted to the First League. Since there exist no lower-level league than the Second League, no relegation takes place from this league.In the 2013–14 season, a total of 69 teams competed in eight divisions as following: With the 2015–16 season, the number of teams competing in the Second League was set to twelve. In the 2020–21 season no second league was played due to COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.===== Women's Football First League (2022– ) =====In the 2022–23 season, the TFF extended the league system to four leagues. The former Women's Football Second League became Women's Football First league. ın the 2022–23 Turkish Women's Football First League,  14 teams, four relegated teams of the Super League, and ten teams of the former Second League after relegation of 16 teams to the third level league, will compete in two groups.==== Third level league ========= Women's Football Regional League (2008–2010) =====The Turkish Women's Football Regional League () existed two seasons between 2009 and 2011.22 to 23 teams competed in four groups. Four seasons after its establishment, the Women's Third League was established in the 2014–15 season.===== Women's Football Third League (2014–2020, 2021–2022) =====Silivri Alibey Spor (red) vs Tekirdağ G.H.S.K. (navy/purple) in the 2019–20 season match of the Turkish Women's Third League.The Turkish Women's Third Football League was a regional league and is composed of fifteen groups with five to six teams each, making a total of 85 women's teams.===== Women's Football Second League (2022– ) =====In the 2022–23 season, the former Women's Third Football League was renamed Women's Football Second League. The league consists of 20 teams in three groups with 16 teams relegated from the former Second League and 8 teams promoted from the former Third League. Four of the teams did not register. The group matches started on 12 March and will end on 3 June.==== Fourth level league ========= Women's Football Third League (2022– ) =====In the 2022–23 season, the former Women's Football Third League will be played with the former Third League teams. A total of 91 teams in 20 groups will compete between 18 March and 19 April.=== Girls' football championships ===As of the 2022–23 season, the TFF made compulsory that the Women's Super League clubs hold a juniors or youth team to play in any girls' championship.A junior or youth team of a club, which has no team playing in any league, may be promoted up to a league when they meet the status criteria of league teams.==== Girls' U-17 Turkey Championship ====For the girls of age group 15–17, the Girls' U-17 Turkey Championship () is being held. It is an important organization in respect of the development of women's football in Turkey.The first leg of the 2009 Girls' U-17 Turkey Championship () was held between 9–12 July 2009 with the participation of 36 clubs in six groups across Turkey each having six teams. The top first teams of the six groups were entitled to play the finals. The finals were held between July 23–25, 2009 in Bartın. Mevlana Lisesi from Ümraniye, Istanbul became champion of the 2008–09 season defeating İzmir Konak Belediyespor by 1–0 in the final match.The Girls' U-17 Turkey Championship developed rapidly in the following years so that the number of participating teams increased from 27 in 2008 to 110 in 2018.The TFF announced by August 2019 in its 2019–20 season's competition status that the Girls' U-17 Championship was abolished. The decision was sharply criticized by some women's football club managers. It was claimed that girl footballers of age group 15–16 will be forced to play in the senior team of their club with the disadvantage of appearing against older and much experienced opponents.+ Development of Girls' U-17 Turkey ChampionshipYear No. ofGroups No. ofTeams  Ref.2008 7 27 2009 6 36 2010 7 43 2012 8 35 2013 13 55 2014 16 73 2015 20 105 2016 29 129 2017 25 114 2018 32 110 2020 Abolished ==== Girls' U-15 Regional Championship ====The Girls' U-15 Regional Championship () is organized for the girls' teams in the age category 13–14.It was held in the 2008–09 season between July 18–20, 2009 with the participation of six teams in two groups. The leaders of the two groups, Kocaeli Gölcükspor and Bursa Sağlıkgücüspor, played the finals in Düzce. Gölcükspor became champion by winning 3–0.2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match of Turkey women's (white) vs Belarus women's (red)Horozkentspor (Denizli) won the 2016 championship title. Kocaeli Harb-İş became runner-up and Konak Belediyespor (İzmir) placed third.==== Girls' U-13 Local Championships ====The Girls' U-13 Local Championships ) are held in provinces, where at least four teams participate. The teams consists of a goalkeeper, seven players and five substitutes.=== Eligibility criteria ===Taking the extension of the women's football league system in the 2022–23 season into account, the TFF set new eligibility criteria for players and coaches.==== Player eligibility criteria ====+ Player eligibilityCriterion SuperLeague FirstLeague SecondLeague ThirdLeague  U-17 Turkey Champ. U-15Reg. Champ. U-13Local Champ.Age min. 14 min. 14  min. 14 min. 14 15–16 13–14 11–12Foreigner max. 8 max. 3     ==== Coach eligibility criterion ====+ Coach eligibilityCriterion SuperLeague FirstLeague SecondLeague ThirdLeague Junior & YouthCahmpsLicence level  min. UEFA A min. UEFA A min. TFF Grassroots C min. TFF Grassroots C min TFF Grassroots C=== Player transfer fees ===In case of the transfer of a player, a fee is paid to the former club as follows:+ Player transfer fees (2022–23)Player Age 18–24 Age 25–29  Age 30+Non-national 22,500 15,000 National 60,000 37,500
National teams 2015 UEFA Championship Second qualifying round – Group 1 match Turkey girls' U-17 (red) vs Finland girls' U-17 (blue)2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore Women's football in Turkey is represented in international competitions by:* Turkey women's national football team (Kadınlar A Milli Futbol Takımı),* Turkey women's national under-19 football team (Genç Kadınlar U-19 Milli Futbol Takımı) and* Turkey women's national under-17 football team (Yıldız Kızlar U-17 Milli Futbol Takımı).A 2013-FIFA report stated that Turkey makes serious efforts to develop a strong women's national team at senior level by using foreign resources. Turkish-descent female players from diverse nations, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the US, are called up to international events. The idea behind is the hope that the experience of these players will help improve the standards, and give the youngsters at home a boost.
UEFA Women's Champions League By virtue of winning 2008–09 Turkey National Women's First League, Trabzonspor played in August 2009 in the Group D for qualification to the 2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League. This was the first time ever a Turkish women's football team participated in the play-offs for the UEFA league established in the 2001–2002 season. The team won its first match against ŽNK Krka from Slovenia by 2–0, however lost the following plays to Torres Calcio Femminile of Italy by 0–9 and to Slovan Duslo Šaľa from Slovakia by 1–2.Trabzonspor women's team failed so to participate in the 2009–2010 UEFA Champions League.In the following years, Gazi Üniversitesispor in 2010–11, Ataşehir Belediyespor, twice in 2011–12 and 2012–13, and Konak Belediyespor, also twice in 2013–14 and 2014–15, played in the UEFA Women's Champions League. In the 2013–14 season, Konak Belediyespor became the first ever Turkish women's team to play in the league's Round of 16 knockout phase.+ UEFA Women's Champions LeagueSeason Team         Round2009–10Trabzonspor3 1 0 2 3 11 −8 Qualifying Round2010–11Gazi Üniversitesispor3 0 1 2 3 22 −19 Qualifying Round2011–12Ataşehir Belediyespor (1)3 0 1 2 3 9 −6 Qualifying Round2012–13Ataşehir Belediyespor (2)3 1 0 2 5 10 −5 Qualifying Round2013–14Konak Belediyespor (1)7 4 1 2 7 8 −1 Round of 162014–15Konak Belediyespor (2)3 2 0 1 13 5  +8 Qualifying Round2015–16Konak Belediyespor (3)3 1 0 2 7 14  −7 Qualifying Round2016–17Konak Belediyespor (4)3 1 0 2 7 8  −1 Qualifying Round2017–18Konak Belediyespor (5)3 2 0 1 11 4  +7 Qualifying Round2018–19Ataşehir Belediyespor (3)3 1 1 1 10 10  0 Qualifying Round2019–20Beşiktaş3 1 2 0 6 3 +3 Qualifying Round2020–21ALG Spor1 0 1 0 3 3 0 First Qualifying Round2021–22Beşiktaş (2)2 1 0 1 4 7 −3 First Qualifying Round2022–23ALG Spor (2)1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 First Qualifying Round+ Overall Table Team          Best Achievements5Konak Belediyespor19 10 1 8 45 39 +6 31 Round of 163Ataşehir Belediyespor9 2 2 5 18 29 −11 8 Qualifying Round2Beşiktaş5 2 2 1 10 10 0 8 Qualifying Round2ALG Spor2 0 1 1 3 4 −1 1 First Qualifying Round1Trabzonspor3 1 0 2 3 11 −8 3 Qualifying Round1Gazi Üniversitesispor3 0 1 2 3 22 −19 1 Qualifying Round14Total41 15 7 19 82 115 −33 52 Round of 16
Women coaches Former notable women coaches are:* Fatma Yağmur Aydın* Zerrin Bakır (born 1981)* Aysun Boyacı (born 1972)* Tülin Dedeman* Emine Nurten Doğruyol* Özgür Gözüaçık * Huriye Aslı Ertunç (born 1973)* Fatma Gültekin * İlknur İdil* Handan Kasapoğlu (born 1982)* Çiğdem Kayhan (born 1967)* Nurper Özbar* Zeynep Özcan* Leyla Öztürk* Meryem Özyumşak (born 1972)* Ana Rosca (born 1974)* Zeliha Şimşek (born 1981)* Ayfer Topluoğlu (born 1977)* Lalezar Veliyeva* Asiye Veral* Çilem Yaşar (born 1975)* Emine Yılmaz (born (born 2000)Current women coaches are:Nihan Su, coach of Fenerbahçe women's in the 2021-22 Turkish Women's Football Super League on 28 May 2022* Necla Akdoğan (born 1971)* Özlem Araç (born 1989)* Nurcan Çelik (born 1980)* Hatice Bahar Özgüvenç (born 1984)* Aslı Canan Sabırlı (born 1991)* Nihan Su (born 1981)* Cemile Timur (born 1988)
Women referees Neslihan Muratdağı officating the friendly match Turkey women's vs Estonia at TFF Riva Facility on 7 April 2018* Necla Akdoğan (born 1971)* Drahşan Arda (born 1945)* Leman Bozacıoğlu* İpek Emiroğlu (born 1992)* Dilan Deniz Gökçek (born 1976)* Kadriye Gökçek* Özge Kanbay (1996–2019)* Dilek Koçbay (born 1982)* Sibel Kolçak (born 1990)* Neslihan Muratdağı (born 1988)* Lale Orta (born 1960)* Melis Özçiğdem (born 1982)* Cemile Timur (born 1988)* Cansu Tiryaki* Yeliz Topaloğlu (born 1978)* Hilal Tuba Tosun Ayer (born 1970)* Fatma Özlem Tursun(born 1988)* Mürvet Yavuztürk (born 1985)* Betül Nur Yılmaz
See also * Turkish women in sports* Women's association football around the world
References