Süper Lig (Turkey)

The Süper Lig (Turkey) (founded in 1959) is the top level of professional club football in Turkey, run under the Turkish Football Federation. Tournament regulations: 18 clubs compete, the season runs from August to May with a winter break, and the league is played as a double round-robin with 34 matches per team, home and away against every opponent. Teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. If teams are level on points, standings are decided primarily by head-to-head results: for two clubs, head-to-head points come first, then head-to-head goal difference, then overall goal difference and total goals scored, then preference is given to the club with no forfeit losses, and if still level an additional knockout match is arranged by the federation; away goals do not count as an advantage in head-to-head ties. If three or more clubs are level, a mini-table of their head-to-head matches is used (points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored), followed by overall goal difference and total goals scored, then no forfeit losses, and if required the federation schedules extra match(es). At season end, the clubs finishing 16th to 18th are relegated to the TFF First League, and three clubs are promoted to the Süper Lig, including automatic promotion for the top finishers and one place decided via play-offs under the First League rules.