The TFF Third League, is the fourth level in the Turkish football league system. It was founded in 2001–02 season as a continuation of then third level division Turkish Third Football League.[note 1]
League format
Since 2010–11 season status of the league has been changed. The league is played with 60 teams in four groups. The winners of each group are directly promoted to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 6th teams play promotion play-offs to determine last two teams to be promoted. The bottom three teams in each group are relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.[1]
In 1968–69 new clubs joined: Amasyaspor, Burdurspor, Diyarbakırspor, Ispartaspor, Rizespor, Ankara Sanayi Barbaros. Two groups were formed on geographical basis: Red Group for East and White Group for West. Each group contained 14 teams and one best promoted and one worst relegated in each group.
Group 1: Trabzonspor II (by TFF decision) Group 4: Aras Sitespor (withdrawed next season) Group 6: Karşıyaka II (by TFF decision) Group 7: Tekirdağ Büyük Salatspor (withdrawed during season) Group 8: Galatasaray II (by TFF decision)
Group 1: Görelespor Group 2: Iğdırspor Group 3: Afşinspor Group 4: Sivas Demirspor Group 5: Sarayköyspor Group 6: Menemenspor Group 7: İznikspor Group 8: Erdekspor Group 9: Kocaeli Petkimspor
Group 1: Suluovaspor Group 2: Sarıkamışspor (now Sarıkamış Esnafspor) Group 3: Reyhanlıspor Group 4: Çankırıspor Group 5: Sandıklı Belediyespor (now Sandıklıspor) Group 6: Çeşmespor Group 7: Edremitspor (now Edremit Belediyespor) Group 8: İstanbul THY Group 9: Adapazarıspor
Group 1: Silvanspor, Hakkarispor, Tuncelispor (renamed first Yeni Tuncelispor, now Dersimspor), Tatvanspor Group 2: Gümüşhane KH, Fatsaspor, Ağrıspor, Ardeşenspor (now Ardeşen Belediyespor) Group 3: Sahilspor (now İskenderun Belediye Sahilspor), Elbistan Belediyespor, Kadirli İY, Adana GB Group 4: Group 5: Group 6: Group 7: Group 8: Group 9: Group 10:
Group 1: Kızıltepespor, Mardinspor Group 2: Çayelispor, TEK 12 Martspor Group 3: Kırıkhanspor, Besni Belediyespor Group 4: Group 5: Group 6: Bafraspor, Çarşamba Beldespor Group 7: Silivrispor, Feriköyspor Group 8: Darıca Gençlerbirliği, Vefaspor Group 9: Karacabeyspor, Mudanyaspor Group 10: Bigaspor, Akhisarspor
Group 1: Van DSİ, Erçişspor Group 2: Group 3: Group 4: Polatlıspor, DHMİ Group 5: Group 6: Group 7: Denizli Belediyespor, Ödemiş Belediyespor Group 8: Group 9: Malkaraspor, İstanbul İl Özel İdarespor Group 10: Kocaeli Petkimspor (Now İlimtepe Futbol), İznikspor
Group 1: Ağrıspor Group 2: Gümüşhane Doğanspor, Amasyaspor (play-off) Group 3: Fırat Üniversitesi Group 4: Kilimli Belediyespor Group 5: Petrol Ofisi Spor Group 6: İzmirspor Group 7: Pendikspor Group 8: Çorluspor
Group 1: Bitlis Köy Hizmetleri, Muşspor Group 2: Iğdır Belediyespor, Sivas Demirspor Group 3: Kozan Belediyespor, Nizip Belediyespor Group 4: Kozlu Belediyespor, Ankara Köy Hizmetleri Group 5: Konya Yolspor, Kütahya Seramikspor Group 6: Yeni Bornovaspor, Sökespor Group 7: Bozüyükspor, Karamürselspor Group 8: Dardanel Kepezspor, Keşanspor
Group 1: Siirt Köy Hizmetleri YSE Spor Group 2: Sivasspor Group 3: Malatya Belediyespor Group 4: Kırıkkale Belediyespor, Düzcespor (play-off) Group 5: Ankara Asaşspor, Selçuk Üniversitesi (play-off) Group 6: Yeni Nazillispor Group 7: Darıca Gençlerbirliği Group 8: Gaziosmanpaşaspor
Group 1: Bitlis Köy Hizmetleri, Erganispor Group 2: Turhalspor, Ardeşenspor Group 3: Siverek Belediyespor, Pütürge Belediyespor Group 4: Beypazarıspor, Bartınspor Group 5: Eskişehir Demirspor, Afyon Şekerspor Group 6: İzmir Yeşilova, Gaziemirspor Group 7: Bursa Kestelspor, Anadoluhisarı İY Group 8: Küçükçekmecespor, Bigaspor
Group 1: Cizrespor Group 2: Gümüşhane Doğanspor, Akçaabat Sebat Gençlik (play-off) Group 3: Hacılar Erciyesspor Group 4: Türk Telekomspor Group 5: Ispartaspor Group 6: Yeni Turgutluspor Group 7: Öz Sahrayıceditspor Group 8: Kırklarelispor, Güngören Belediyespor (play-off)
Group 1: Diyarbakır Köy Hizmetleri, Bingölspor Group 2: Fatsaspor, Sürmenespor Group 3: Fırat Üniversitesi, İslahiyespor Group 4: Çaycumaspor, Erdemirspor Group 5: Yeni Anamurspor, Manavgat Belediyespor Group 6: Simav Eynalspor, Selçuk Efesspor Group 7: Ümraniyespor, Feriköy SK Group 8: Vefa SK, Çerkezköy Belediyespor
Group 1: Muşspor, Bismil Birlikspor, Bitlis Özgüzelderespor, Batman Demirspor Group 2: Karabulak Gençlik, Arsinspor, Termespor, Doğubeyazıtspor Group 3: Nevşehirspor, İskenderun DÇ, Malatya Belediyespor, Kozan Belediyespor Group 4: Turhalspor, Akçakocaspor, Altındağ Belediyespor, Etimesgut Belediyespor Group 5: Sidespor, Seydişehir Eti Alüminyumspor, Kemerspor, Konya Kartalıspor Group 6: Balıkesirspor, Kuşadasıspor, Yeni Milasspor, Soma Linyitspor Group 7: İzmit Bekirpaşaspor, Mudurnuspor, Üsküdar Anadolu SK, Nişantaşıspor Group 8: Geliboluspor, İstanbul Beşyüzevler, Gönenspor, Çanspor
Source: TFF.[2] Turkish-Soccer archives[3] and mackolik.com.[4]
Group 1: Karadeniz Ereğlispor, Bayburtspor, Askispor, Petrol Ofisi Spor (Withdrew from the league before start of season) Group 2: İskenderunspor 1967, Genç Telekomspor, Yüksekova Cilospor, Elazığ Belediyespor (Withdrew from the league before start of season) Group 3: Seyhan Belediyespor, Kilimli Belediyespor, Saran Keskinspor, Silifkespor (formerly known as İçel Polisgücü and Mersinspor) Group 4: Körfez Belediyespor, Torbalı Belediyespor, Yeni Salihlispor, Ayvalıkgücü Group 5: Lüleburgazspor, Ayazağaspor, Tepecik Fıratpenspor, Altıntepsi Makelspor
Group 1: Silopi Cudispor, Yozgatspor, Hakkarispor Group 2: Artvin Hopaspor, Merzifonspor, Murgul Bakırspor Group 3: Sapancaspor, Tekirdağspor, Eskişehir Şekerspor Group 4: Orhangazispor, Afyonspor, Kestel Belediyespor
2004–05 season
Promotion from amateur leagues: İskenderun DÇ, Nevşehirspor, Hatay Köy Hizmetleri, Arsinspor, Karsspor, Mecidiyeköy, Yeni Burdur Gençlik, Aroma Akseki.
Group 1: Muşspor, Niğdespor Group 2: Sinopspor, Amasyaspor Group 3: Yeniköy, Bandırmaspor Group 4: Akşehirspor, Aliağa Petkim
2005–06 season
Promotion from amateur leagues: Değirmenderespor, Gazi Belediyespor, Hopaspor, Afyonkarahisarspor, Nilüfer Belediyespor, Konya Şekerspor, Orhangazispor, Küçükçekmecespor.
Group 1: Bitlis Özgüzelderespor, Nevşehirspor Group 2: Kızılcahamam Belediyespor, Çubukspor Group 3: Konya Şekerspor, Akseki Aroma Group 4: Eskispor, Mecidiyeköy
2006–07 season
Promotion from amateur leagues: Belediye Vanspor, Bağlum Belediyespor, Sürmenespor, Bozüyükspor, Balıkesirspor, Tepecik Belediyespor, Orhangazi Gençlerbirliği.
In 2008–09 season the league contained 51 clubs spread out over 5 groups with 10 or 11 clubs. The groups were determined in regions. The top two clubs from each group qualified to the Promotion Group. The remaining groups with other teams were called Classification Groups. Top four teams in Promotion Group are directly promoted to TFF Second League. The three teams classified 5th to 7th in Promotion Group join the extra play-offs with the top teams from each of the 5 Classifying Groups. These 8 teams play a knockout competition (in neutral venue) to determine the last two teams to be promoted. The bottom two teams of Classifying Groups are relegated to the Amateur Leagues.
In 2009–10 season league was played by 53 teams, 11 teams in groups 1–4 and 9 teams in group 5. Top two teams of ranking groups again promoted to promotion group. Top two teams of promotion group directly promoted to 2010–11 TFF Second League. The Third team was determined by extra play-offs between 3rd–5th teams of promotion group and winners of classification groups. Last three teams in groups 1–4 and last team in group 5 were relegated to Regional Amateur League.
Promotion from amateur leagues: Kırıkhanspor, Bayrampaşaspor, Çerkezköy Belediyespor, Tekirova Belediyespor, Muğlaspor, Trabzon Yalıspor.
In 2010–11 season status of the league has been changed. League is played with 54 teams in three groups, 18 in each. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom three teams in each group were relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.
In 2011–12 season status of the league has been changed. League is played with 57 teams in three groups, 19 in each. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom four teams in each group were relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.
In 2012–13 season status of the league has been changed. League is played with 54 teams in three groups, 18 in each. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom three teams in each group are relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.
In 2013–14 season league is played with 54 teams in three groups, 18 in each. 4 teams relegated from 2012–13 TFF Second League: Denizli Belediyespor, Çamlıdere Şekerspor, Ünyespor, Sakaryaspor. Eleven teams promoted from 2012–13 Turkish Regional Amateur League. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom three teams in each group are relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.
In 2014–15 season league is played with 54 teams in three groups, 18 in each. 6 teams relegated from 2012–13 TFF Second League: Çanakkale Dardanelspor, Gaziosmanpaşaspor, Çankırıspor, Eyüpspor, İstanbul Güngörenspor and Bozüyükspor. Nine teams promoted from 2013–14 Turkish Regional Amateur League. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom three teams in each group are relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League.
In 2015–16 season league is played with 57 teams in three groups, 18 in each. 6 teams relegated from 2012–13 TFF Second League: Çanakkale Dardanelspor, Gaziosmanpaşaspor, Çankırıspor, Eyüpspor, İstanbul Güngörenspor and Bozüyükspor. Nine teams promoted from 2013–14 Turkish Regional Amateur League. The groups were determined by casting lots on a non-regional basis. The winners of each group directly promotes to TFF Second League. In each group 2nd through 5th teams play promotion play-offs to determine second team to be promoted to TFF Second League. Bottom four teams in each group are relegated to Turkish Regional Amateur League. However, Cizrespor didn't field on second half matched due to operations against PKK terrorists in Cizre. For this reason, Cizrespor wasn't relegated from 3rd League.
^Turkish Third Football League (in Turkish: Türkiye Üçüncü Futbol Ligi or shortly Üçüncü Lig or 3. Lig) is a defunct football league in Turkey. It was the third level division in Turkish football since its foundation in 1967–68 until the formation of new league system in 2001-02. Turkish Third Football League continued as TFF Third League in the new league system after 2001, but this time in the fourth layer. Third level of Turkish League was renamed first TFF Second League Category A, later TFF Second League. A comparison of new and old league systems can be seen in "see also" section of this article.
^TFF (Turkish Football Federation) provides information on promotion from TFF Third League (including Turkish Third Football League) to TFF Second League since 1963–64. TFF provides league tables and scores obtained in Turkish Third Football League since 1990-91, but provides no information on relegation matters. Only last season's league status is provided.
^Turkish-Soccer archives provides some information on Turkish Third Football League but not for all seasons. 1967–68 thru 1974–75 and 1997–98 thru 2000–01 seasons' information on promotion and relegation are available.
^Maçkolik has included statistics for Turkish Third Football League in 2012. See mackolik.com.