- TFF First League
Infobox sports league
current_season=Bank Asya 1. Lig 2008-09
logo=
sport=Football
founded=2001
teams=18
country=TUR
champion=Kocaelispor The TFF First League (currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Bank Asya 1. Lig') is the second level of theTurkish football league system . The league was founded in 2001 after it was separated from the Turkish Second League Category B. It was founded as the Turkish Second League Category A and started with 20 teams. The number of teams were reduced to 18 the season after, in 2002.Before the 2005-2006 season, the top three teams were promoted to
Süper Lig and the bottom three teams were relegated to the Turkish Second League Category B. Since the 2005-2006 season, the top two teams were directly promoted to theSüper Lig . The teams that finish from 3rd to 6th place are staged in a play-off. The 3rd place team plays a match with the 6th placed team, while the 4th plays against the 5th. The winner of those matches played a single match to decide the third team that was to be promoted. The title was also changed to Türk Telekom League A during the 2006-2007 season. The title underwent another change at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season to become the TFF First League.As of the second half of the 2007/8 season, the league will receive sponsorship from
Bank Asya , which is making its first investment in sports, in order to boost their profile but also to add funds to the league. The contract is for one and-a-half years. [ [http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/spor/futbol/8038617.asp?gid=211&sz=91373 Futbol Basketbol Formula1 Tenis Atyarışı İdda Süperlig - Hürriyet ] ] The new name of the league will become the Bank Asya 1. Lig.TFF First League clubs, 2008-09
The clubs to play in the 2008-2009 season are listed below, alongside their home towns.
(2) Third teams were play-off winner.
Relegated teams
References
External links
* [http://www.tff.org Turkish Football Federation ]
* [http://futbol.turksportal.net/futbollig/60/ana/ Turksportal - Turk Telekom League A]
* [http://www.ligtv.com.tr/Default.aspx?id=LigA LigTV's page on the league]
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