Rugby team

Kahramanmaraş İstiklalsp

Club · Turkey · 2. Lig

«The Red-Whites»

40 Matches

22 wins

7 draws

11 losses

85–42 Goals

+43 Difference

2.1 Scored per game

Form L W W D D D

The Merkez Spor Kompleksi Stadyumu holds 4,500 people and doubles as AKDO Arena under a sponsorship deal with the local ice cream brand. Kahramanmaraş İstiklalspor started out in 2016 as Kahramanmaraş Büyükşehir Belediye Gençlikspor, went through a rename to Kahramanmaraş FK, and only settled on its current name in September 2022.

On 6 February 2023, the earthquake that struck Kahramanmaraş brought down the club's own facilities. Four of its footballers were killed — Taner Kahriman, Hakan Doğan, Saruhan Bolat and Burhanettin Sever — and the club president said fourteen athletes across its various branches lost their lives. İstiklalspor had been top of the Bölgesel Amatör Lig when the season stopped; the Turkish Football Federation handed the club automatic promotion, and it sat out the following season with its place held in reserve.

The club returned to win the TFF 3. Lig in 2024-25, beating Ayvalıkgücü Belediyespor 3-1 in the play-off final in Antalya to earn a place in the Nesine 2. Lig for 2025-26. The title was dedicated to the players who died in the earthquake. Kubilay Sönmez, who had played for Schalke 04, Kayserispor, Adana Demirspor and Göztepe before joining, has been among the more recognisable names to wear the red and white, while a run of academy graduates — Cuma Mert İslamoğlu, Mert Çevikaslan, Tarık Yalçın — have been pushed into the first team as the squad rebuilds.

Latest results

All matches

6 Sep	2. Lig	Halide Edip Adıvar H	0:0	D
4 May	2. Lig	Mardin BB A	0:0	D
30 Apr	2. Lig	Mardin BB H	0:0	D
25 Apr	2. Lig	Somaspor A	3:2	W
19 Apr	2. Lig	Ankara Demirspor H	2:0	W
12 Apr	2. Lig	Mardin BB A	1:2	L