Foreign player rule changed in Trendyol 1. Lig

The TFF has made a regulation regarding the foreign player limit in the Süper Lig. With this regulation, the foreign player rule in the Trendyol 1. Lig has also changed. The statement made by the TFF is as follows:

2025-2026 SEASON

TFF 1. LIG PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

ARTICLE 1 - TFF 1. LIG PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

(1) Clubs may include a maximum of 8 players in their A-Team List who are not eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team ("foreign players").

Clubs may include a maximum of 8 players in their A-Team List who are not eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team ("foreign players").

There is no age criteria for 7 of the 8 foreign players that can be included in the A-Team List. If 8 foreign players are included in the A-Team List, at least 1 of these players must have been born on or after 01.01.2003 for the 2025-2026 season.

Not using some or all of the 8 foreign player slots available for the A-Team List does not prevent the inclusion of a higher number of players eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team.

For the 2025-2026 season, foreign players born in 2003 who have signed a contract within this scope and have been registered on the A-Team List may be included on the A-Team List under this rule for two seasons if a contract longer than one season is signed.

In the 2026-2027 season, it is mandatory that at least 2 of the 8 foreign players be born on or after January 1, 2004.

(2) 1st League clubs that have contracts with more than 8 foreign players cannot field foreign players who have not been registered on the A-Team List in A-Team matches.

(3) In addition to the players who are not eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team and are included in the A-Team List as stipulated in the first paragraph, clubs may include one player registered on the A-Team List as a citizen of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, or Turkmenistan under the rules of the 2023-2024 season, and one player registered on the A-Team List as a Turkish citizen or blue card holder despite not being eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team, on the A-Team List until the end of their contract terms due to their acquired rights. If the contracts of these players expire, any extensions, renewals, or new contracts signed with other clubs will be registered under the category of players not eligible for the National Team and will be included on the A-Team List accordingly.

(4) Clubs may field their registered professional players born on or after January 1, 2005, who are eligible to play for the Turkish National Team, in matches without the obligation to include them on the A-Team List. It is not required for these players to be professional, provided they have been registered with the club for the last 6 months and have reached the age of 15.

ARTICLE 2 - A-TEAM LIST

(1) Clubs are required to submit to the Federation the A-Team List of their professional players who will participate in official matches, within the framework of the principles stated below:

a) The A-Team List consists of a maximum of 28 players.

b) At least 18 players to be included in the A-Team List must be eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team. Furthermore, with the exception of foreign players permitted to be registered on the list, all other players to be included in the A-Team List must be eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team, subject to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 1 above. Regarding the aforementioned players, the requirement of eligibility to play for the Turkish National Football Team shall not be sought for Turkish citizens who opted for other countries' national teams before June 15, 2015. Foreigners who later acquired Turkish citizenship may be included in the list under this scope, provided they have not played for another country's national team, have passed five years since their initial application for citizenship, and have played in at least one official match for any age category of the Turkish Youth National Teams.

c) Of the 18 players mentioned in clause 'b' above, in the 2025–2026 season, at least

1 must have been born on or after 01.01.2003. In the 2026–2027

season, at least 2 of these players must have been born on or after 01.01.2004.

d) Clubs may have a maximum of 3 goalkeepers on the A-Team List. At least two of these goalkeepers must be players eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team as specified in paragraph (b).

e) In the event that the club does not register players who meet the criteria

stipulated in clauses 'b', 'c', and 'd', the A-Team List shall be formed with as many fewer players as the number of missing players;

furthermore, disciplinary action shall be taken against the relevant clubs for non-compliance with the instructions.

f) Among the players mentioned in clauses 'b', 'c', and 'd' above, those who lose their eligibility to play for the Turkish National A Football Team after the final lists are submitted to the TFF shall lose their status as players eligible to play under this scope at the beginning of the following first transfer and registration period. Players who lose their eligibility to play for the Turkish National A Football Team during the Transfer and Registration Periods shall be immediately removed from the status of players eligible to play for the Turkish National A Football Team on the list.

ARTICLE 3 - SUBMISSION OF THE A-TEAM LIST TO THE TFF

(1) Clubs are required to submit their A-Team List to the TFF at least 24 hours before their first official match.

(2) The A-Team List may be revised by the clubs 24 hours before the club's official matches during the first transfer and registration period.

(3) It is mandatory to submit the A-Team List to the TFF within three days following the end of the first transfer and registration period, to be valid until the second transfer and registration period.

(4) From the beginning of the Second Transfer and Registration Period, clubs may revise their A-Team Lists up to 24 hours before the club's official matches.

(5) It is mandatory to submit the A-Team List, which will be valid until the end of the season, to the TFF within three days following the end of the Second Transfer and Registration Period.

(6) Players to be included in the A-Team List must be registered by the TFF on behalf of the club. However, for international transfers, the International Transfer Certificate

Players whose certificates have not arrived despite being requested may be included in the A-Team List. This situation must be clearly stated by the club on the list. Players in this situation cannot become eligible to play in matches unless they are registered by the TFF. If the registration of these players does not take place, no other players may be added in their place outside of the revision periods.

(7) Clubs that do not submit their A-Team List to the TFF on time will not be allowed to participate in matches.

ARTICLE 4 - MATCH ROSTER

(1) The Match Roster consists of a maximum of 21 players.

(2) For the 2025–2026 season, clubs may include in the Match Roster;

a) As a rule, provided that no more than 6 of them are on the field at the same time

during the match, a maximum of 8 players as specified in the 1st paragraph of the Player Eligibility

article above may be listed on the match roster. In addition, clubs may include the additional players specified in the 3rd paragraph of the Player Eligibility article above.

They may include at most 1 of these 2 players on the Match Name list and

keep them in the squad remaining on the pitch during the match.

b) They may register professional footballers who are not on the A-Team List, provided they were born on or after 01.01.2005 and are eligible to play for the Turkish National Team,

as well as amateur footballers who meet the same conditions, provided they have been registered with the club for the last 6 months and have completed the age of 15.

They may register these players.

(3) In case of violation of the above regulations, the provisions of the Football Competition Instruction shall be applied.