There was a familiar sight at the end of the 2025-26 Super Lig season, as Galatasaray were crowned Turkish champions for the fourth straight campaign.
Once again, Aslanlar will be heavily favoured to repeat the feat in 2026-27 with Victor Osimhen likely to be their key man after netting 22 goals in 33 appearances last term.
However, just like the horses in TwinSpires betting list, is there a dark horse that could threaten a title challenge? Find out more about some of the interesting dark horse contenders in 2026-27 here.
Fenerbahce
The 2025-26 season was a slightly frustrating campaign for Fenerbahce, as they were forced to settle for second place in the standings, despite losing just twice in their 34 league fixtures. It has a summer of change at the club, with Ismail Kartal re-joining the Turkish side to begin a fourth stint.
The veteran was a two-time title winner with Fenerbahce during his playing career, and was part of the coaching staff when the side won two titles in four seasons between 2010 and 2014. An overhaul of the playing squad has also occurred this summer, with exciting additions including Nathan Ake, Sidiki Cherif, and Vedat Muriqi.
However, the biggest signing of the summer could still be yet to come, as the Turkish club are closing in on the signing of Marseille forward Mason Greenwood. The 24-year-old will provide extra attacking quality in the final third after registering 19 goals for the Ligue 1 club in all competitions last term.
Besiktas
An exciting season ahead could await Besiktas after agreeing a deal to bring Vincenzo Italiano to Istanbul. The Italian enjoyed an excellent stay in his home country with Bologna, guiding the team to their first Coppa Italia title in 51 years with a win against AC Milan in May 2025.
Italiano is a proven head coach that has a reputation for getting results. The manager also guided Fiorentina to the finals of the Coppa Italia and Europa Conference League. Last season was a largely impressive campaign for Besiktas, as they finished fourth in the league standings to achieve qualification for the Europa League.
A high-quality squad has been assembled, which includes Kosovo international Milot Rashica. The forward will be hoping for a better goalscoring season after netting just twice in 33 appearances in 2025-26. A big summer of transfer activity has already played out, with the club signing German goalkeeper Alexander Nubel and Turkish international Salih Ozcan. Another notable arrival could come in the form of Leandro Trossard, with the club close to agreeing a fee with Premier League champions Arsenal.
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor were one of the surprise packages in Super Lig last season, with Fatih Tekke guiding the club to a third-place finish. Huge progress has been made under the head coach, with the Black Sea Storm ending the previous campaign having won 20 of their 34 fixtures.
Most striking was their excellent defensive record, as they allowed just 39 goals in the Turkish top-flight. A sign of their progress came in the Turkish Cup Final, beating Konyaspor to win the tournament for the tenth time. Paul Onuachu will be a key player once again, having netted a league-high 22 goals in 2025-26.
On paper, Trabzonspor have one of the more straightforward runs of fixtures, with clashes against Kasimpasa, Amed SK, and Konyaspor before an early-season showdown against Galatasaray in late September. The opening month of the season could set the tone for the improving club under Tekke.
Goztepe
One of the most interesting dark horses in the Super Lig next season could be Goztepe. Stanimir Stoilov has overseen a positive return to form since taking over in November 2023, guiding the team back into the Turkish top-flight for the first time in two seasons. Progress has been made year-on-year, and they were a challenging team to beat in 2025-26, finishing the campaign in sixth spot.
A damaging run of form at the end of the season was ultimately costly, as the team missed out on a spot in the Europa Conference League. However, there are signs that another strong showing could be likely this season. Defensively, Goztepe were reliable throughout the campaign, allowing just 32 goals, ensuring that they had the second-best defensive record in the competition. They were extremely emphatic in home matches, winning eight of their 17 encounters and suffering just two defeats.
In total, they kept clean sheets in 52% of their matches at home, ensuring that they have the ideal starting point to improve in 2026-27. One area that will need addressing is their attacking output, as the Turkish club scored just 1.24 goals per game last term. They also failed to score in 26% of their fixtures. Sinclair Armstrong’s arrival could be crucial to their attacking output this term, with the club signing the striker from Bristol City after the 23-year-old scored four goals in 41 Championship games last term.
