Antalyaspor final team to be relegated from Süper Lig

ISTANBUL

 Antalyaspor was relegated from the Turkish Süper Lig on May 16 despite earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kocaelispor, as all three of its fellow relegation candidates pulled off crucial results to secure safety on the final day of the 2025-26 season.

Entering the 34th week in the relegation zone, Antalyaspor needed a victory and a slip-up from its rivals. While the Mediterranean triumphed at home, wins for Kasımpaşa and Gençlerbirliği, alongside a dramatic draw for Eyüpspor, sealed Antalyaspor’s fate.

Eyüpspor went toe-to-toe with league runner-up Fenerbahçe in a six-goal thriller. The 3-3 draw that came with a late goal earned the Istanbul club the single point it needed to reach 33 points, finishing just above the relegation zone.

Gençlerbirliği, on the other hand, left nothing to chance with a dominant 3-0 away victory against third-place Trabzonspor. Adama Traore opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, while late goals from Franco Tongya and Metehan Mimaroğlu guaranteed safety for the club from the capital.

Antalyaspor, which had been playing in the top-flight since 2015, finished the season in 16th place with 32 points, joining already-relegated Kayserispor and Fatih Karagümrük in dropping down to the First League next season.

Antalyaspor coach Sami Uğurlu was devastated after the match.

“We won, but it wasn’t enough; the results we expected from the other matches did not happen,” he told reporters. “We were hopeful, but it didn’t work out. It was a tragic night for us. We tried to do our best under the circumstances we were in. It could have been better, but unfortunately, we only had enough strength to get this far.”

Gençlerbirliği coach Metin Diyadin, who returned to the post two weeks ago after being sacked by the club in February, said the team from the capital achieved vital success.

“This match was very important not just for Gençlerbirliği to stay in the league, but for the very survival of the club,” said Diyadin, who played for the club between 1988 and 1998. “We stayed in the league by taking six points from our last two matches. I am especially happy that we succeeded in both keeping the club in the league and ensuring its future.”

Elsewhere in the Süper Lig, Kasımpaşa pulled off the biggest upset of the day by defeating newly crowned champion Galatasaray 1-0.

Adrian Benedyczak scored the decisive goal in the 26th minute, propelling Kasımpaşa to complete safety.
Süper Lig champion Galatasaray earned a spot in next season’s Champions League league stage, while Fenerbahçe starts its campaign in late July in the competition’s second elimination round.

Trabzonspor will be playing in the Europa League, while other teams on the European stage will be decided based on the result of the Ziraat Turkish Cup final to be played between Konyaspor and Trabzonspor on May 22.