U19 league (Turkey) 2026/27

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) oversees the **TFF Gelişim Ligleri**, a development pathway for players aged 19 and under. This system replaces the former TFF U19 Milli Ligi, which operated from the 2014–2015 season until its restructuring in 2022–2023. Before that era, youth competition took the form of the 19 Yaş Altı Türkiye Şampiyonası, a knockout tournament rather than a league structure.

The competition divides into two primary tiers based on the senior club’s status. The Süper Lig 19 Yaş Altı Gelişim Ligi features top-flight academies such as Beşiktaş and Alanyaspor. It typically runs as a single national group or splits into two large regional sections with around 18 teams. The TFF 1. Lig 19 Yaş Altı Gelişim Ligi caters to second-tier sides like Amedspor and Erzurumspor. To reduce travel, these participants are split into regional groups covering Istanbul, the Aegean, the Black Sea, and Central Anatolia.

Both tiers follow a regular season format leading to a national playoff stage to crown the champion. Success in the Süper Lig tier carries significant weight, as the winner secures a spot in the UEFA Youth League Domestic Champions Path. Recent history shows a rotation among the major Istanbul and Trabzon clubs, with Trabzonspor claiming titles in 2023–24 and 2020–21, while Beşiktaş won in 2017–18. The structure operates distinctly from the U21 A2 Ligi, which serves as a reserve league for established professionals rather than focusing on developing younger talent. The hierarchy ensures that regional winners within the lower tier can advance toward national recognition, maintaining a clear developmental trajectory for the nation's football youth.