Fixtures for new season revealed
THE 2022/23 football season in North Cyprus is now one step closer, with the fixtures for the first 15 weeks of the top two divisions having been announced.
As happens every season, the two leagues will both comprise of 16 teams each, with three being relegated from the Super League to the 1st League, three being promoted in the opposite direction to replace them, and three being relegated from the 1st league to the third tier “BTM” 1st league at the end of the season.
The top two leagues will once again be sponsored by energy company Aksa as their title sponsor, and the first round of fixtures will take place on the weekend of September 24-25.
In the Super League, reigning champions Mağusa Türk Gücü will begin the defence of their title away at Türk Ocağı Limasol, who narrowly avoided relegation last term.
The opening day will also feature a total of three Lefkoşa derbies, with Yenicami hosting newly promoted China Bazaar Gençlik Gücü, Hamitköy facing off against Küçük Kaymaklı, and sleeping giants Çetinkaya beginning their return to the top flight away at Göçmenköy.
Miracle Değirmenlik, who enter the Super League following back-to-back promotions, begin life in the top flight at home to last season’s defeated Cyprus Cup finalists Doğan Türk Birliği.
The Super League’s remaining three opening weekend games will see last year’s runners-up Merit Alsancak Yeşilova host Gönyeli, Lefke travel to Mesarya, and Yonpaş Dumlupınar begin their campaign at home to Cihangir.
In the 1st League, freshly relegated Baf Ülkü Yurdu will start life back in the second tier with a tricky away trip to Miracle Karşıyaka, while their crosstown rivals in Güzelyurt and fellow-relegated side from last year, Binatlı, will host Lapta, who romped to promotion from the BTM 1st league last season, winning the western area league title.
Girne Halk Evi, who finished bottom of last season’s Super League, will start their campaign away at an up-andcoming Esentepe side.
Yenierenköy, who won the eastern area BTM 1st league title last term, will begin the season with a very winnable home tie against İncirli.
The club named Mustafa Hacıali Yılmazköy, who won promotion to the 1st league via the play-offs, will begin their campaign at home against Maraş.
The other 1st League opening weekend fixtures will see Mormenekşe host Düzkaya,
Dörtyol play Yalova, and Pera Larnaka Gençler Birliği start their campaign at home against Yeniboğaziçi.
With seven teams from Lefkoşa now in the Super League, almost every week will feature at least one local derby. The standout games of those will see Yenicami play Küçük Kaymaklı on week two, and then Çetinkaya on week three, while the fixture between Küçük Kaymaklı and China Bazaar Gençlik Gücü on week eight is also set to be spicy, as is the game between Çetinkaya and Küçük Kaymaklı on week 10.
Outside of Lefkoşa, the biggest derby in the Super League is the Girne derby between Doğan Türk Birliği and Türk Ocağı Limasol, which will take place on week 14.
Equally raucous in atmosphere but this year being played outside the top flight is the Güzelyurt derby, where Baf Ülkü Yurdu and Binatlı will face off on week 12.
The Super League’s two Gazimağusa-based sides, Mağusa Türk Gücü and Yonpaş Dumlupınar, will play each other on week 10, but given the disparity between the size and history of the two clubs, the match is yet to be considered a derby.
However, with Yonpaş Dumlupınar strengthening over the past few years, the fixture may grow into a derby as time goes on.