Denizlispor is a Turkish sports club based in Denizli. It is known by its distinct green and black colors. The club's branches include football, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, and gymnastics. They play at the Denizli Atatürk Stadium, which has a seating capacity of up to 18,745 spectators.
History Denizlispor Kulübü was founded on May 26, 1966, as a merger of two smaller youth sports clubs, Çelik Yeşilspor Gençlik and Pamukkale Gençlik. They joined to form what is now Denizlispor, which was at the time a lesser known sports & youth club in the Çaybaşı district of Denizli city. This union made its registration at the Turkish football's governing body, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) under the name of Denizlispor Youth Club. The new football team joined Turkish football's 2nd division for the upcoming season on July 14, 1966.
Denizlispor finished fifth in the 2001–02 Süper Lig, consequently qualifying for the UEFA Cup. In the 2002–03 UEFA Cup, the team defeated FC Lorient, Sparta Prague, and Olympique Lyonnais, before losing in the fourth round against FC Porto, who later on won the tournament. In the 2003–2004 season the black-green club managed another 5th spot. Denizlispor's form declined after the 2004–2005 season and struggled avoiding relegation. Denizlispor drew 1–1 against Fenerbahçe on the last match day of the 2005–06 season securing its stay at the highest level, upsetting the title chances of the team from Kadıköy. Denizlispor remained in the Super League despite a 3–0 loss against Ankaragücü in an away match on May 24, 2009, due to better results against Konyaspor, who got relegated. Denizlispor eventually relegated the next season to the TFF First League after a goalless home draw against Ankaragücü on April 24, 2010.
After the relegation in the 2009–10 season, Denizlispor competed in the TFF First League for nine seasons. In the 2010–11 season, Denizlispor completed the first half of the season as leaders. The team, however, finished the season in 9th place. The following seasons, Denizlispor did not achieve any substantial success. Denizlispor became champions in the 2018–19 TFF First League season, with 72 points, promoting to the Süper Lig.
After two consecutive seasons in the Süper Lig, Denizlispor could not manage to keep competing in the top-tier, relegating to the TFF First League. In the 2022–23 season, The Roosters had a disastrous start to the season with just six points in their first 16 fixtures, performing poor throughout the season staying in the relegation zone in 36 of the 38 rounds. The team relegated in the end to the TFF Second League for the first time ever in their history. The free fall of the Aegean team continued as it relegated in the 2023–24 season from the TFF 2. Lig to the TFF Third League, where it could not hold on, finally relegating from the professional football leagues to the Turkish Regional Amateur League at the end of the 2024–25 season.
Crest and colours
The Denizlispor crest was designed by Yakup Ünel, a founding member of the team. The crest is based around a rooster, which is identified with the province of Denizli. The team's colours come from the colours of a type of rooster with green and black feathers unique to Denizli region.
Stadium
Denizlispor play their home matches in Denizli Atatürk Stadium. The stadium holds 18,745 people and was built in 1950. Denizlispor's first league match played against Eskişehirspor in 1983. The stadium does not have wire nets.
League participations Süper Lig: 1983–88, 1994–97, 1999–2010, 2019–21 TFF First League: 1966–83, 1988–94, 1997–99, 2010–19, 2021–2023 TFF Second League: 2023–24 TFF Third League: 2024–25 Turkish Regional Amateur League: 2025–2026 Denizli Super Amateur League: 2026–
European cups
Competition Pld W D L GF GA GD UEFA Cup 8 3 2 3 9 12 –3 UEFA Intertoto Cup 2 0 0 2 3 6 –3 Total 10 3 2 5 12 18 –6
UEFA Cup: Season Round Country Club Home Away Aggregate2002–031RFC Lorient 2–0 1–33–3 (a)2RSparta Prague 2–0 0–12–13RLyon 0–0 1–01–04RFC Porto 2–2 1–63–8
UEFA Intertoto Cup:
Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate20011R NK Čelik 3–5 0–13–6
UEFA Ranking history:
Season Rank Points Ref.2003115 22.4952004112 18.6562005131 17.8722006138 16.6342007126 16.791
Past seasons SeasonCupEuropeManagerNotes1966–672Rd732137122528332nd round Altan SantepeFirst season1967–682Rd23816148372246 Altan SantepeDid not qualify for Turkish Cup1968–692Rd234121842414422nd round Altan Santepe1969–702Rd33014972816371st round Altan Santepe / Kadri Aytaç1970–712Rd730153123225332nd round Altan Santepe / Doğan Emültay1971–722Rd113010812161928 Altan Santepe / Melih Garipler / Seracettin KırklarDid not qualify for Turkish Cup1972–732Rd113081210232628 İnanç Toker / Doğan EmültayDid not qualify for Turkish Cup1973–742Rd9308148252530 Seracettin Kırklar / İsmail Kurt / Melih GariplerDid not qualify for Turkish Cup1974–752Rd143081012233926 Melih Garipler / İsmail KurtDid not qualify for Turkish Cup1975–762Rd1330107132127272nd round Seracettin Kırklar / Melih Garipler / İnanç Toker1976–772Rd1330810122441261st round İnanç Toker1977–782Rd1432713122032272nd round Şükrü Ersoy / İnanç Toker1978–792Rd830910112224284th round Şükrü Ersoy / Melih Garipler1979–802B1030109112831296th round Mustafa Özkula / İnanç Toker1980–812A534148124433363rd Round Mustafa Özkula / Melih Garipler / İnanç Toker1981–822B52812794120315th round İnanç Toker / Refik Özvardar1982–832B13020643812465th round Halil Güngördü / Doğan AndaçPromoted to Süper Lig1983–84SL7341210123642345th round Nevzat GüzelırmakFirst Süper Lig season1984–85SL163491114394829Semi-Final Nevzat GüzelırmakBest Turkish Cup position1985–86SL1236128164039326th round Özkan Sümer / Ilie Datcu1986–87SL7361114114135366th round Nihat Atacan / Necdet Zorluer1987–88SL1738129173548455th round Necdet Zorluer / Zeynel SoyuerRelegated1988–892C23419965329661st round Fethi Demircan1989–902B432141174531534th round Bülent Ünder / Behzat Çınar1990–912B33418795627614th round Behzat Çınar1991–922B33418796850615th round Melih Garipler1992–931L41810263020321st round Bülent Ünder / Erkan Velioğlu / Gündüz Tekin Onay1993–941L21811253627356th round Ömer KanerPromoted to Süper Lig1994–95SL1534811154153356th round Ümit Kayıhan1995–96SL1534810163850346th round Ümit Kayıhan1996–97SL173455243681205th round Milorad Mitrović / Behzat Çınar / Ersun Yanal / Melih GariplerRelegated1997–981L31810353323335th round Raşit Çetiner1998–991L2189544030323rd Round Ersun YanalPromoted to Süper Lig1999–00SL834138135557473rd Round Ersun Yanal2000–01SL113412913535645Round of 16 Yılmaz Vural / Tevfik Lav2001–02SL534121210655248Semi-FinalIC1st roundRıza ÇalımbayBest league position and first season in Europe2002–03SL1034101014374240Round of 16UC4th roundRıza Çalımbay / Giray BulakBest UEFA Cup position2003–04SL53417413524355Quarter-FinalGiray BulakBest league position2004–05SL634131011464549Semi-FinalGiray BulakBest Turkish Cup position2005–06SL153491015415037Semi-FinalNurullah SağlamBest Turkish Cup position2006–07 SL1434914113340412nd roundGüvenç Kurtar2007–08SL73413615484845Group StageGüvenç Kurtar2008–09SL153411518395238Quarter-FinalAli Yalçın / Ümit Kayıhan / Mesut Bakkal2009–10SL17346820304926Quarter-FinalErhan Altın / Nurullah Sağlam / Hakan KutluRelegated2010–111L932111110403144Group stageHamza Hamzaoğlu / Serhat Güller2011–121L10341112115146452nd roundGüvenç Kurtar / Osman Özköylü2012–131L11341110133537432nd roundEngin İpekoğlu / Selahattin Dervent / Özcan Bizati2013–141L1036144184256462nd round Serdar Dayat / Yusuf Şimşek / Özcan Bizati2014–151L153489173851332nd round Özcan Bizati / Engin İpekoğlu / Mehmet Altıparmak2015–161L1534109154152362nd round Mehmet Altıparmak / Ali Yalçın / Koray Palaz2016–171L11341110134645403rd Round Ali Tandoğan / Mehmet Ali Keskinler / Ali Yalçın2017–181L1534108164347382nd round Yusuf Şimşek / Reha Erginer / Fatih Tekke2018–191L13421946732724th round Osman Özköylü / Yücel İldizPromoted to Süper Lig2019–20SL14349818314835Round of 16 Yücel İldiz / Mehmet Özdilek / Bülent Uygun2020–21SL2140610243877284th round Robert Prosinečki / Yalçın Koşukavak / Hakan Kutlu / Ali Tandoğan Relegated2021–221L113614715465049Round of 16 Serhat Gülpınar / Fatih Tekke / Mesut Bakkal2022–231L183675243567234th round Mesut Bakkal / Giray Bulak / Kemal Kılıç / Bülent Ertuğrul Relegated2023–242Rd183688203757322nd round Bülent Ertuğrul / Özcan Bizati Relegated2024–253L41530512132755211st round Çağdaş Mavioğlu / Şükrü Akar / Ali Yalçın / Kürşat Taş Relegated2025–26RAL1426531829486 Muhsin Sezer / Murat Candan / Yavuz Özkan Relegated
Last updated: 3 May 2026 Div. = Division; SL = Turkish Super League; 1L = TFF First League 2B = Turkish Second Football League, Group B; 2Rd = Turkish Second Football League, Red Group; 2Wh = Turkish Second Football League, White Group; 3L4 = Turkish Third Football League, Group 4; RAL = Turkish Regional Amateur League Pos. = Position; Pl = Match played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lost; GS = Goal scored; GA = Goal against; P = Points UCL = UEFA Champions League; UCWC = UEFA Cup Winners' Cup; UC = UEFA Cup; Cup = Turkey Cup. Colors: Gold = winner; Silver = runner-up.
Players Current squad
Other players under contract
Out on loan
Retired numbers
a
a Following his death in 2001, the club's president Mustafa Baysal decided to retire the number 18 in his honour.
Club officials Board members
Technical staff
Coaches
Altan Santepe (1966–69) Kadri Aytaç (1969–70)23 April 1970, Milliyet, page 1010 April 1971, Milliyet, page 8 Doğan Emültay (1970–72) İnanç Toker (1972–73) İsmail Kurt (1973–74) Melih Garipler (1974–75) Seracettin Kırklar (1975–76) İnanç Toker (1976–77) Şükrü Ersoy (1977–78) Melih Garipler (1978–79) Mustafa Özkula (1979–81) Refik Özvardar (1981–82) Halil Güngördü (1982–83) Doğan Andaç (1982–83) Nevzat Güzelırmak (1983–85) Özkan Sümer (1985–86) Nihat Atmaca (1986–87) Zeynel Soyuer (1987–88) Fethi Demircan (1988–89) Nihat Atacan (1989–90) Bülent Ünder (1990–91) Behzat Çınar (1991–92) Melih Garipler (1991–92) Ilker Küçük (1992–93) Gündüz Tekin Onay (1992–93) Ömer Kaner (1993–94) Ümit Kayıhan (1994–96) Behzat Çınar (1996–97) Melih Garipler (1996–97) Raşit Çetiner (1997–98) Ersun Yanal (1998–2000) Tevfik Lav (2000–01) Yılmaz Vural (2000–01) Sakıp Özberk (2001–02) Rıza Çalımbay (2001–03) Giray Bulak (2003–05) Nurullah Sağlam (2006) Faruk Hadžibegić (2006) Güvenç Kurtar (2006–08) Ali Yalçın (2008) Ümit Kayıhan (2008–09) Mesut Bakkal (2009) Erhan Altın (2009) Nurullah Sağlam (2009) Hakan Kutlu (2009–10) Hamza Hamzaoğlu (2010–11) Güvenç Kurtar (2011) Serhat Güller (2011) Osman Özköylü (2011–12) Engin İpekoğlu (2012) Yusuf Şimşek (2012–13) Özcan Bizati (2013) Serdar Dayat (2013) Ümit Turmuş (2013) Özcan Bizati (2013–15) Engin İpekoğlu (2015) Mehmet Altıparmak (2015) Ali Yalçın (2015–16) Koray Palaz (2016) Selahattin Dervent (2016) Ali Tandoğan (2016–17) Ali Şimşek (2017) Yusuf Şimşek (2017) Reha Erginer (2017–18) Fatih Tekke (2018) Osman Özköylü (2018) Yücel İldiz (2018–19) Mehmet Özdilek (2019–20) Bülent Uygun (2020) Robert Prosinečki (2020) Kenan Atik (2020) Yalçın Koşukavak (2020–21) Hakan Kutlu (2021) Ali Tandoğan (2021) Serhat Gülpınar (2021) Fatih Tekke (2021–22) Mesut Bakkal (2022) Giray Bulak (2022–23) Kemal Kılıç (2023) Bülent Ertuğrul (2023) Özcan Bizati (2023–2024) Çağdaş Mavioğlu (2024) Şükrü Akar (caretaker manager) (2024) Ali Yalçın (caretaker manager) (2024–25) Kürşat Taş (2025) Muhsin Sezer (2025) Murat Candan (2025–2026) Yavuz Özkan (2026–present)
Sponsorships