The Süper Lig is currently 9th in the UEFA coefficient ranking of leagues based on club performances in European competitions over the last five years.

A total of 75 clubs have competed in the Süper Lig, but only six have won the title to date: Galatasaray (24), Fenerbahçe (19), Beşiktaş (16), Trabzonspor (7), Başakşehir (1) and Bursaspor (1).

Football in Turkey stems back to the late 19th century, when Englishmen brought the game with them while living in Salonica (then part of the Ottoman Empire).

The first competition to bring forth a national champion was the former Turkish Football Championship, which began in 1924 and continued until 1951.

[5] The championship format was based on a knockout competition, contested between the winners of each of the country's top regional leagues.

Started in 1937, the National Division consisted of the strongest clubs from the Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir leagues.

[9][10] The top clubs of Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir competed in the 1959 Turkish National League.

Before the foundation of a second division, the bottom three clubs competed with regional league winners in a competition called the Baraj Games.

It is considered to be one of the best and most intense in the world, being ranked among the greatest football rivalries of all time by various international sources.

[13][14][15] On 12 December 2023, the Turkish Football Federation suspended all league games indefinitely following an incident during a match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor which involved fans being able to successfully invade the pitch and people, including recent MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, being arrested after attacking referee Halil Umut Meler.

During the course of the season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 38 games.

On 28 November 2016 Qatari media group beIN (owner of Digiturk since 2015) won a 5-year deal to become the TV tender of the Süper Lig.

The new reduced fee (₺2.65 billion/$340 million) had to be paid exclusively in Turkish lira, and took into account the financial realities of the COVID-19 crisis.

Despite a drop in overall value, the Süper Lig’s TV rights income remained the sixth highest in Europe.

[28] On 2 March 2024 Turkish Football Federation stated that Qatari media group beIN has renewed its rights to broadcast Turkey's top flight matches for three more years, until 2027.

[29] beIN will pay $182 million-a-year to broadcast Turkey's Süper Lig and TFF First League.

In Turkey, clubs are permitted to place a golden star above their crest for every five national championships won.