# Istanbul Football League

The Istanbul Football League (Turkish: İstanbul Futbol Ligi) was founded as a regional football league under the name Constantinople Football Association League by James La Fontaine and Henry Pears in Istanbul, the capital of the former Ottoman Empire, in 1904. The Istanbul League was the first football organization ever in the Ottoman Empire and later Turkey. In the inaugural 1904–05 season the matches between the four teams, Moda FC, HMS Imogene, Elpis FC, and Cadi-Keuy FC were played on Sundays, leading to the name of the league, Istanbul Sunday League. Henry Pears, an Englishman and one of the three founders, promised to ultimately award the shield to the club with the most championships won during the initial 10 years.
The Istanbul Friday League was founded in 1915 and replaced the Istanbul Sunday League. Seven teams participated in its inaugural 1915–16 season. From 1923–24 to 1950–51 the league was called Istanbul League. The name was later changed and became Istanbul Professional League in the 1952 season, as professionalism was introduced by the Turkish Football Federation in 1951.
Fenerbahçe are the most successful club, having won the league a record 16 times in total.

## Champions

| Season | Winners (number of titles) | Runners-up |
| 1904–05 | HMS Imogene FC (1) | Moda FC |
| 1905–06 | Cadi-Keuy FC (1) | HMS Imogene FC |
| 1906–07 | Cadi-Keuy FC (2) | Moda FC |
| 1907–08 | Moda FC (1) | Cadi-Keuy FC |
| 1908–09 | Galatasaray SK (1) | Moda FC |
| 1909–10 | Galatasaray SK (2) | Strugglers FC |
| 1910–11 | Galatasaray SK (3) | Progress FC |
| 1911–12 | Fenerbahçe SK (1) | Rumblers FC |
| 1912–13 | Unaccomplished due to the Balkan Wars | Unaccomplished due to the Balkan Wars |
| 1913–14 | Fenerbahçe SK (2) | Altınordu İdman Yurdu |
| 1914–15 | Galatasaray SK (4) | Üsküdar Anadolu SK |
| 1914–15 | Fenerbahçe SK (3) | Türk İdman Ocağı |
| 1915–16 | Galatasaray SK (5) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1916–17 | Altınordu İdman Yurdu (1) | Üsküdar Anadolu SK |
| 1917–18 | Altınordu İdman Yurdu (2) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1918–19 | Unaccomplished due to Armistice of Mudros | Unaccomplished due to Armistice of Mudros |
| 1919–20 | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 1920–21 | Fenerbahçe SK (4) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1921–22 | Galatasaray SK (6) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1922–23 | Fenerbahçe SK (5) | Altınordu İdman Yurdu |
| 1923–24 | Beşiktaş JK (1) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1924–25 | Galatasaray SK(7) | Vefa SK |
| 1925–26 | Galatasaray SK(8) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1926–27 | Galatasaray SK(9) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1927–28 | Cancelled due to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam | Cancelled due to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam |
| 1928–29 | Galatasaray SK (10) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1929–30 | Fenerbahçe SK (6) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1930–31 | Galatasaray SK (11) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1931–32 | İstanbulspor (1) | Süleymaniye FC |
| 1932–33 | Fenerbahçe SK (7) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1933–34 | Beşiktaş JK (2) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1934–35 | Fenerbahçe SK (8) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1935–36 | Fenerbahçe SK (9) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1936–37 | Fenerbahçe SK (10) | Güneş SK |
| 1937–38 | Güneş SK (1) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1938–39 | Beşiktaş JK (3) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1939–40 | Beşiktaş JK (4) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1940–41 | Beşiktaş JK (5) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1941–42 | Beşiktaş JK (6) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1942–43 | Beşiktaş JK (7) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1943–44 | Fenerbahçe SK (11) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1944–45 | Beşiktaş JK (8) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1945–46 | Beşiktaş JK (9) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1946–47 | Fenerbahçe SK (12) | Vefa SK |
| 1947–48 | Fenerbahçe SK (13) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1948–49 | Galatasaray SK (12) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1949–50 | Beşiktaş JK (10) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1950–51 | Beşiktaş JK (11) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1952 | Beşiktaş JK (12) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1952–53 | Fenerbahçe SK (14) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1953–54 | Beşiktaş JK (13) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1954–55 | Galatasaray SK (13) | Beşiktaş JK |
| 1955–56 | Galatasaray SK (14) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1956–57 | Fenerbahçe SK (15) | Galatasaray SK |
| 1957–58 | Galatasaray SK (15) | Fenerbahçe SK |
| 1958–59 | Fenerbahçe SK (16) | Galatasaray SK |

### Istanbul Sunday League (İstanbul Pazar Ligi)

* Cadikeuy Football Club 1905-06 Champion
* Moda FC 1907-08 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1908-09 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1909-10 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1910-11 Champion
* Fenerbahçe SK 1911-12 Champion
* Fenerbahçe SK 1913-14 Champion

### Istanbul Friday League (İstanbul Cuma Ligi)

* Galatasaray SK 1915-16 Champion
* Altınordu İdman Yurdu 1916-17 and 1917-18 Champion
* Fenerbahçe SK 1920-21 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1921-22 Champion
* Fenerbahçe SK 1922-23 Champion

### Istanbul League (İstanbul Ligi)

* Beşiktaş JK 1923-24 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1924-25 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1925-26 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1926-27 Champion
* Galatasaray SK 1930-31 Champion
* Istanbulspor 1931-32 Champion
* Besiktas JK 1938-39 Champion

### Istanbul Professional League

* 1952 Beşiktaş JK
* 1953 Fenerbahçe SK
* 1954 Beşiktaş JK
* 1955 Galatasaray SK
* 1956 Galatasaray SK
* 1957 Fenerbahçe SK
* 1958 Galatasaray SK
* 1959 Fenerbahçe SK

## Performance by club

| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won |
| Fenerbahçe SK | 16 | 18 | 1912, 1914, 1915*, 1921, 1923, 1930, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1957, 1959 |
| Galatasaray SK | 15 | 13 | 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915*, 1916, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1949, 1955, 1956, 1958 |
| Beşiktaş JK | 13 | 6 | 1924, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954 |
| Altınordu İdman Yurdu | 2 | 3 | 1917, 1918 |
| Cadi-Keuy FC | 2 | 1 | 1906, 1907 |
| Moda FC | 1 | 3 | 1908 |
| HMS Imogene | 1 | 1 | 1905 |
| Güneş SK | 1 | 1 | 1938 |
| İstanbulspor | 1 | – | 1932 |
| Üsküdar Anadolu SK | – | 2 | – |
| Vefa SK | – | 2 | – |
| Rumblers FC | – | 1 | – |
| Strugglers FC | – | 1 | – |
| Küçükçekmece SK | – | 1 | – |
*Galatasaray in the Istanbul Football Union League and Fenerbahçe in the Istanbul Champions League became champions.

## Top Scorers

| Season | Club | Top scorer | Goals | Matches | Rate |
| 1928–29 | Fenerbahçe SK | Zeki Rıza Sporel (1) | 10 | 9 | 1.11 |
| 1929–30 | Fenerbahçe SK | Zeki Rıza Sporel (2) | 13 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 1930–31 | Fenerbahçe SK | Zeki Rıza Sporel (3) | 17 | 13 | 1.31 |
| | Fenerbahçe SK | Fikret Arıcan (1) | 17 | 14 | 1.21 |
| 1931–32 | Beşiktaş JK | Hakkı Yeten (1) | 8 | 5 | 1.60 |
| 1932–33 | Beşiktaş JK | Hakkı Yeten (2) | 10 | 11 | 0.91 |
| 1933–34 | Beşiktaş JK | Hakkı Yeten (3) | 10 | 12 | 0.83 |
| 1934–35 | Fenerbahçe SK | Namık Erbay (1) | 13 | 11 | 1.18 |
| 1935–36 | Fenerbahçe SK | Ali Rıza Tansı (1) | 19 | 21 | 0.90 |
| | Fenerbahçe SK | Naci Bastoncu (1) | 19 | 21 | 0.90 |
| 1936–37 | Fenerbahçe SK | Esat Kaner (1) | 14 | 10 | 1.40 |
| 1937–38 | Beşiktaş JK | Şeref Görkey (1) | 16 | 9 | 1.78 |
| 1938–39 | Fenerbahçe SK | Fikret Arıcan (2) | 25 | 15 | 1.67 |
| 1939–40 | Galatasaray SK | Cemil Gürgen Erlertürk (1) | 30 | 16 | 1.88 |
| 1940–41 | Beşiktaş JK | Şeref Görkey (2) | 22 | 15 | 1.47 |
| 1941–42 | Fenerbahçe SK | Melih Kotanca (1) | 23 | 14 | 1.64 |
| 1942–43 | Galatasaray SK | Cemil Gürgen Erlertürk (2) | 22 | 11 | 2.00 |
| 1943–44 | Beşiktaş JK | Şükrü Gülesin (1) | 27 | 17 | 1.59 |
| | Fenerbahçe SK | Müzdat Yetkiner (1) | 27 | 16 | 1.69 |
| 1944–45 | Beşiktaş JK | Kemal Gülçelik (1) | 27 | 18 | 1.50 |
| 1945–46 | Beşiktaş JK | Şükrü Gülesin (2) | 11 | 13 | 0.85 |
| 1946–47 | Beşiktaş JK | Şükrü Gülesin (3) | 9 | 14 | 0.64 |
| | Galatasaray SK | Reha Eken (1) | 9 | 12 | 0.75 |
| 1947–48 | Fenerbahçe SK | Halit Deringör (1) | 12 | 13 | 0.92 |
| | Fenerbahçe SK | Lefter Küçükandonyadis (1) | 12 | 14 | 0.86 |
| 1948–49 | Beşiktaş JK | Şükrü Gülesin (4) | 13 | 12 | 1.08 |
| 1949–50 | Beşiktaş JK | Bülent Esel (1) | 19 | 14 | 1.36 |
| 1950–51 | Beşiktaş JK | Recep Adanır (1) | 13 | 14 | 1.36 |
| 1952 | Beşiktaş JK | Şevket Yorulmaz (1) | 19 | 14 | 1.36 |
| 1952–53 | Beşiktaş JK | Şevket Yorulmaz (2) | 17 | 18 | 0.94 |
| 1953–54 | Fenerbahçe SK | Lefter Küçükandonyadis (2) | 14 | 14 | 1.00 |
| 1954–55 | Galatasaray SK | Ali Beratlıgil (1) | 14 | 18 | 0.78 |
| 1955–56 | Galatasaray SK | Metin Oktay (1) | 19 | 17 | 1.12 |
| 1956–57 | Galatasaray SK | Metin Oktay (2) | 17 | 16 | 1.06 |
| 1957–58 | Galatasaray SK | Metin Oktay (3) | 19 | 17 | 1.12 |
| 1958–59 | Galatasaray SK | Metin Oktay (4) | 22 | 16 | 1.38 |

## Records
### Titles

* Most titles: 16
** Fenerbahçe SK
* Most consecutive titles: 5
** Beşiktaş JK (1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43)

### Biggest wins

* 20–0, Galatasaray SK vs Vefa SK, 1925–26
* 16–0, Fenerbahçe SK vs Anadolu Üsküdar 1908, 1930–31
* 14–0, Fenerbahçe SK vs Topkapı SK, 1938–39
* 14–0, Fenerbahçe SK vs Topkapı SK, 1939–40
* 14–1, Galatasaray SK vs Anadolu Üsküdar 1908, 1914–15
* 13–0, Fenerbahçe SK vs Süleymaniye SK, 1930–31
* 13–0, Beşiktaş JK vs Hilal SK, 1939–40
* 13–1, Fenerbahçe SK vs Davutpaşa SK, 1942–43
* 12–0, Fenerbahçe SK vs Süleymaniye SK, 1915–16
* 12–0, Beşiktaş JK vs Topkapı SK, 1939–40
* 12–1, Galatasaray SK vs Topkapı SK, 1936–37
* 12–1, Beşiktaş JK vs Taksim SK, 1941–42
* 11–0, Galatasaray SK vs Moda-Imogene Muhteliti, 1909–10
* 10–0, Galatasaray SK vs Süleymaniye SK, 1934–35
* 11–2, Beşiktaş JK vs Eyüp SK, 1936–37
* 11–2, Galatasaray SK vs Eyüp SK, 1937–38
* 11–2, Beşiktaş JK vs Eyüp SK, 1937–38
* 11–2, Beşiktaş JK vs Kasımpaşa SK, 1943–44
* 11–2, Beşiktaş JK vs İstanbulspor, 1943–44