TFF First League

Current season or competition: TFF First League 2009-10
TFF First League
Sport	Football
Founded	2001
No. of teams	18
Country(ies)	Turkey
Most recent champion(s)	Manisaspor

The TFF First League (currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Bank Asya 1. Lig^[1]) is the second level of the Turkish football league system. The league was founded in 2001 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B. It was founded as the Turkish Second League Category A and started with 20 teams. The number of teams were reduced to 18 the season after, in 2002. The league was renamed TFF First League prior to the 2007–08 season. It was called Türk Telekom Türk Telekom Lig A in 2006-2007 season.

Before the 2005–06 season, the top three teams were promoted to Süper Lig and the bottom three teams were relegated to the Turkish Second League Category B. Since the 2005–06 season, the top two teams are directly promoted to the Süper Lig, the teams finishing third through sixth will compete in a play-off. The third-placed team plays a match with the sixth-placed team, while the fourth-placed team plays against the fifth-placed team. The winners of both matches then play against each other to decide the third team that is promoted.

[edit] TFF First League clubs, 2009-10

The clubs to play in the 2009-2010 season are listed below, alongside their home towns.

[edit] Past Winners

(*) Kayseri Erciyesspor renamed themselves as Kayserispor. Kayserispor also became Kayseri Erciyesspor before the start of 2004-2005 season.

(1) These teams were play-off winners.

[edit] Promoted teams

(2) Third teams were play-off winner.

[edit] Relegated teams

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• (Turkish) Turkish Football Federation
• (Turkish) Turksportal - Turk Telekom League A
• (Turkish) LigTV's page on the league

[edit] See also

• Turkish Cup
• Süper Lig
• TFF Second League
• TFF Third League