The 2025-2026 Süper Lig season has barely reached its eighth week, yet the league is already embroiled in unprecedented managerial turbulence.
Seven clubs have parted ways with their head coaches, highlighting the intense pressure and low tolerance for underperformance in Turkish football.
As the teams enter the international break, the early-season shake-up has set a dramatic tone for what promises to be one of the most unpredictable campaigns in recent memory.
Gaziantep FK was the first to make a move.
After suffering consecutive 3-0 defeats to Galatasaray and Konyaspor in the opening two weeks, İsmet Taşdemir’s tenure ended abruptly.
Burak Yılmaz stepped in as his replacement, stabilizing the club with four wins and two draws in six matches, proving the immediate impact a managerial change can have in the Süper Lig.
Istanbul’s big three soon followed.
Beşiktaş parted ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after early exits in European competitions, including a loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Europa League and elimination by Lausanne in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.
Sergen Yalçın was appointed to revive the black-and-white side’s season.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe’s Jose Mourinho also departed after a mixed start: while the Portuguese coach eliminated Feyenoord in the Champions League third qualifying round, a subsequent play-off defeat to Benfica, combined with only one league win and one draw, sealed his fate.
Domenico Tedesco now assumes control at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.
Başakşehir, historically known for managerial stability, joined the exodus.
After a disappointing Conference League play-off defeat to Romania’s Craiova and two draws in the league, the club parted ways with Çağdaş Atan, turning to former Borussia Dortmund coach Nuri Şahin to steady the ship.
The managerial purge extended beyond Istanbul.
Eyüpspor, Kayserispor and Antalyaspor all made early-season changes.
Eyüpspor dismissed Selçuk Şahin following just one win, two draws and five losses, leaving them with only five points from eight matches.
Kayserispor’s Markus Gisdol resigned after securing five draws and three defeats, scoring only five goals while conceding 17.
Antalyaspor’s Emre Belöğlu stepped down after three wins, one draw and four losses, including a crushing 5-2 defeat to Rizespor, highlighting the club’s fraught start.
The flurry of managerial changes underscores the high stakes in Turkish football, where early-season results often dictate drastic decisions.
With the league on pause for the international break, clubs will hope that new leadership can stabilize performances and guide their sides back to competitive form.
