Buy Samsunspor tickets for the 2026/27 Season and watch the Kırmızı Şimşekler, the Red Lightning, at the 34,000-seat Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium on Türkiye's Black Sea coast. Samsunspor have enjoyed the most successful spell in their modern history, finishing third in the 2024/25 Süper Lig to equal the club's best league finish and then reaching the last 16 of the Conference League on their European debut. For 2026/27 they are back in the Süper Lig with Nenad Bjelica as head coach.
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This guide explains how Turkish football ticketing works through Passolig, what seats cost at the 19 Mayıs Stadium, where to sit, how to reach Samsun and the story of a club whose history includes championship-chasing sides of the 1980s, one of the most painful days in Turkish football and a remarkable climb back from the third tier.
Samsunspor compete in the 2026/27 Süper Lig, an 18-club division played over 34 rounds, alongside Istanbul's big three, Trabzonspor and newly promoted Erzurumspor, Amedspor and Çorum. After two seasons of European football ambitions, the club finished seventh in 2025/26, outside the European places, so the focus for 2026/27 is entirely domestic: the league and the Turkish Cup.
The season brought significant change. Thomas Reis, the architect of the third-place finish, left in February 2026, Thorsten Fink took over for the run-in and then departed in October, and Nenad Bjelica arrived on a contract running to the end of the campaign. The squad was reshaped after major summer sales, with new signings arriving from France, Italy, Denmark and Scotland.
Home matches are played at the Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium in Tekkeköy, with selected areas of the ground closed to sale to concentrate the crowd. The fixtures that matter most, against Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor, are priced separately from the rest of the season, which gives a clear signal of where demand peaks.
Every ticket for professional football in Türkiye is linked to a Passolig card, an electronic card registered to the holder's identity. The club sells its tickets through the Passolig system, with holders of the Samsunspor-branded card receiving first access, and there is also a club box office in the city. For residents of Samsun with a card already in their wallet, buying a ticket is straightforward.
For visitors from abroad, the system is the main hurdle. Foreign supporters can apply for Passolig, but may be asked for a passport or residence permit, and the application needs to be completed before tickets can be bought. Big fixtures, especially the visits of Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor, are priced separately and can sell quickly once season ticket holders and card holders have bought.
A marketplace offers another route. Where 1BoxOffice has listings for a Samsunspor fixture, each one shows the competition, venue, seat area and delivery method before you commit, with listing notes explaining how entry will work. That clarity matters in a system where the ticket and the card are linked.
Planning is easier too. Turkish fixtures are often confirmed only a few weeks ahead, and Samsun is a flight from Istanbul for most international visitors. Seeing seats listed early lets supporters book travel around a confirmed match.
1BoxOffice has operated as a ticket marketplace since 2006, with a strong focus on football across Europe, Türkiye and the Middle East. Orders come with a buyer guarantee, payments are processed securely and bookings can be followed from purchase to delivery.
The guarantee is specific. If no alternative is offered and the original tickets are not received, the buyer is eligible for a full refund, and a credit voucher worth 50% of the original order value (excluding fees and taxes, capped at £125) may also be issued. That is the 150% money-back guarantee in practice.
Samsun is a passionate football city, and the club's revival has brought big crowds back. The record attendance at the 19 Mayıs Stadium, 33,021, came for the visit of Fenerbahçe in October 2024, during the season that ended with Samsunspor in third place.
Demand follows the opponent. Matches against Istanbul's big three and Trabzonspor are priced separately from the rest of the season because they draw the largest crowds, while games against smaller clubs leave room for late buyers.
For most league matches, tickets are available close to the date. For the derbies and the visits of the big three, buying earlier gives a wider choice of seats.
Samsunspor's prices are set in Turkish lira and vary by stand and opponent. Season tickets for 2026/27 range from 7,000 to 40,000 lira, roughly £105 to £605, up from 6,000 to 40,000 lira the previous season. Single-match prices during 2025/26 were reported at around 370 to 600 lira behind the goals, 700 to 900 lira in the Maraton stand and 850 to 1,500 lira in the West stand, with VIP seats from around 2,500 lira and higher for derbies.
The opponent moves prices more than anything else. Matches against Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor are priced separately and attract much stronger demand, while games against mid-table sides stay close to standard prices. Resale listings sit above face value, particularly for the big fixtures.
The gap between club prices and resale prices is worth understanding. Face-value tickets at Samsunspor are modest by European standards, so the marketplace premium mainly reflects access: no Passolig application before travelling, the option to buy several seats together and availability after club sales have closed. For standard league fixtures the difference is usually small; for the derbies and big-three matches it can be considerably larger.
Exchange rates also matter. Because prices are set in lira, the cost in pounds can move over a season, so check the current rate when comparing listings.
| Type of Ticket | Typical Price Range (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Süper Lig (standard fixtures) | £15 – £60 |
| Süper Lig (Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Trabzonspor) | £30 – £120+ |
| Turkish Cup | £10 – £50 |
| VIP seating | £40 – £150+ |
| Season ticket (2026/27 club prices) | £105 – £605 |
Prices reflect typical ranges and may change as demand and availability shift. GBP figures are converted from Turkish lira and move with the exchange rate.
Through club channels, no. Every ticket for a Süper Lig match is linked to a Passolig card registered to the person attending, and the club sells its tickets through that system. Turkish citizens and residents can apply easily, while foreign visitors can obtain a card but may need to show a passport or residence permit. Holders of the Samsunspor-branded Passolig card receive priority access to tickets.
Samsunspor offer their own branded version of the Passolig card, and holders receive first access when tickets go on sale. For supporters who prefer to buy in person, the club has operated a box office at the Bulvar shopping centre in the city, alongside online sales. Visitors arriving in Samsun shortly before a match should still expect to need a registered card to complete a purchase.
Passolig was introduced in 2014 as part of Türkiye's measures against football violence, replacing paper tickets across the professional leagues. Because each card belongs to one person, entry at the turnstile is tied to the holder, which is why tickets bought through informal channels can cause problems at the gate.
For visitors who would rather not work through the Passolig process for a single match, a marketplace is the practical alternative. Where listings exist on 1BoxOffice, each one explains the delivery method and entry arrangements, so read those notes carefully before you buy and make sure you understand how you will get into the stadium.
Season tickets, known in Türkiye as kombine, are the backbone of Samsunspor's support. For 2026/27, priority sales for existing holders ran in June before general sale opened, with prices from 7,000 to 40,000 lira depending on the stand. The club introduced separate pricing for the matches against the three Istanbul clubs and Trabzonspor, and ended the free entry previously offered behind the goals.
Sales follow a set pattern. For 2026/27, existing holders had a priority window in mid-June before general sale opened later that month. The club also removed the free entry previously offered behind the goals, reflecting stronger demand after the club's recent success, and closed the upper North stand and parts of the Maraton and South stands to sale to concentrate crowds.
For regular attendees the calculation is about convenience as much as price. With 17 home league matches in an 18-club season, a season ticket guarantees the same seat for every standard fixture without having to buy each game separately, while the matches against the big three and Trabzonspor follow their own pricing. Strong demand from season ticket holders is one reason single-match availability for the highest-profile fixtures can be limited.
The structure rewards families and groups. A 30% discount applies to family packages and to women, students and disabled supporters, making a season at the 19 Mayıs Stadium accessible to a wide range of fans.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2026/27 price range | 7,000 – 40,000 lira (about £105 – £605) |
| 2025/26 price range | 6,000 – 40,000 lira |
| Big-match pricing | Matches against Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor priced separately |
| Discounts | 30% for families, women, students and disabled supporters |
| Sales channel | Passolig, with priority for existing holders |
The Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium is a modern, all-seated ground with a capacity of around 34,000, listed by the Turkish Football Federation at 34,346 for 2026/27. It has four stands: the North (Kuzey) and South (Güney) behind the goals, the Maraton stand along one side and the West main stand along the other.
For 2026/27 the upper North stand and parts of the Maraton and South stands are closed to sale, so the open areas are where the crowd is concentrated. The West stand offers the main-stand view and VIP seating, while the stands behind the goals carry the most vocal support.
| Stand | Best For | Price Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| West stand (main stand) | Central views and VIP seating | Higher | Around 850 – 1,500 lira for standard 2025/26 matches |
| Maraton stand | Side view at a mid-range price | Mid-range | Around 700 – 900 lira; some sections closed in 2026/27 |
| North stand (Kuzey) | Atmosphere behind the goal | Lower | Upper tier closed to sale in 2026/27 |
| South stand (Güney) | Atmosphere behind the goal | Lower | Around 370 – 600 lira; some sections closed in 2026/27 |
| VIP | Premium matchday | Premium | From around 2,500 lira, higher for derbies |
| Away section | Visiting supporters | Set by allocation | Subject to Turkish football security rules |
Samsunspor's away support travels across Türkiye, from Istanbul to Anatolia and along the Black Sea coast. The 2025/26 European campaign added trips to Athens, Warsaw, Iceland, Mainz and Madrid, giving supporters their first taste of European away days.
Those European nights created memories that supporters still talk about. The 1–0 win in Warsaw against Legia was the club's first European victory, and the trip to Madrid for the second leg against Rayo Vallecano, which Samsunspor won 1–0 to come within a goal of the quarter-finals, was the most significant away day in the club's modern history.
Away support in Türkiye is governed by security rules set for each match, and the authorities can restrict or ban visiting supporters for fixtures considered high risk. Away tickets, like all others, require a Passolig card.
| Topic | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Away tickets | Sold through Passolig and linked to the holder's card |
| Security rules | Authorities can restrict or ban away fans for individual matches |
| Black Sea trips | Matches against Trabzonspor and other Black Sea clubs are regional journeys along the coast |
| Istanbul trips | A flight or long road journey to face the big three |
| Before travelling | Check the club's announcements for allocations and any restrictions |
The 19 Mayıs Stadium offers different experiences depending on where you sit. Use this as a starting point when comparing listings.
| Priority | Best Option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best atmosphere | North or South stand behind the goals | Where Samsunspor's most vocal supporters gather with flags and chants |
| Best view | West stand, central sections | The main-stand view along the halfway line |
| Family-friendly | Maraton stand | A mid-priced side view, with family discounts in the season ticket structure |
| Premium experience | VIP seating in the West stand | The most comfortable seats with enhanced facilities |
| Lower-priced option | Behind the goals | Typically the most affordable seats in the stadium |
The new Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium opened on 18 July 2017, staging events at the Deaflympics before Samsunspor played their first match there on 29 July 2017, a 1–0 win over Ankaragücü. Designed by architect Bahadır Kul and built at a cost of around 107 million lira, it replaced the old 19 Mayıs Stadium in Canik, the club's home from the mid-1970s, which was demolished in 2018.
The old 19 Mayıs Stadium in the Canik district had been Samsunspor's home from the 1974/75 season and witnessed the club's golden age in the 1980s, including the seasons when Tanju Çolak topped the league's scoring charts. After the move to the new ground in 2017, the old stadium was demolished in 2018, but older supporters still speak of it with affection.
The name carries national significance. On 19 May 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed at Samsun to begin the Turkish War of Independence, and the date is celebrated each year as a national holiday dedicated to youth and sport. For the people of Samsun, a stadium bearing that date is a symbol of the city's place in the history of the Republic.
The stadium sits in the Sanayi neighbourhood of Tekkeköy, east of the city centre. Its capacity is listed at around 34,000, with the Turkish Football Federation's 2026/27 figure at 34,346 and other sources quoting slightly different numbers. The record crowd of 33,021 came for the visit of Fenerbahçe in October 2024.
Getting there is straightforward by public transport. The SAMULAŞ tram network runs out to Tekkeköy, with a stop close to the stadium, and many supporters travel by tram from the city centre on matchdays. Taxis and private cars are also common, but allow extra time for traffic before big matches.
Samsun itself is one of the major cities of Türkiye's Black Sea coast and a pleasant base for a football weekend. The seafront promenade, the Bandırma ship museum commemorating Atatürk's 1919 voyage and the nearby Amisos Hill, with its ancient tumuli and views over the bay, are all worth a visit. Samsun-Çarşamba Airport connects the city with Istanbul and other Turkish cities, and the coastal district of Atakum, west of the centre, has a long seafront promenade lined with cafés and restaurants that is popular with visiting supporters before evening matches.
Inside, the stadium is a modern, steep bowl with good sightlines from all four stands. Its design, by architect Bahadır Kul, was part of a wave of new stadiums built across Türkiye in the 2010s, replacing older multi-purpose grounds with dedicated football venues. Facilities include concourse catering and premium areas in the West stand.
Atmosphere peaks for the Black Sea derby against Trabzonspor and the visits of the Istanbul clubs. On those nights the open stands are packed, the red and white scarves are out and the noise carries across the bowl. For ordinary league matches the stadium is quieter, but the core support behind the goals keeps the singing going throughout.
The 2025/26 season brought a new experience to the ground: European football. Samsunspor beat Dynamo Kyiv and Ħamrun Spartans 3–0 at home in the Conference League league phase, thrashed Shkëndija 4–0 in the knockout play-off and hosted Rayo Vallecano in the round of 16. Those nights showed what the stadium can offer when the club is competing at the highest level it has ever reached.
VIP seating in the West stand is Samsunspor's main premium option, with prices during 2025/26 reported from around 2,500 lira for standard matches and around 5,000 lira or more for derbies. VIP seats offer a central view and enhanced facilities compared with the rest of the stadium.
For the highest-demand matches, VIP places are typically among the first premium seats to go. Look for listings that describe the seating area and facilities clearly, and check what is included before you buy.
| Option | What It Includes | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| VIP (standard matches) | Central West stand seating with enhanced facilities | From about 2,500 lira (about £38) |
| VIP (derbies and big-three matches) | The same seating for the highest-demand fixtures | From about 5,000 lira (about £76) |
| West stand central seats | The main-stand view without VIP extras | About 850 – 1,500 lira |
| Single-match hospitality listings | Varies by listing | £40 – £150+ |
Where 1BoxOffice has listings for a Samsunspor fixture, the process below applies. It is a simple way to find Samsunspor tickets with the venue and entry arrangements explained before you commit.
Step1
Find your fixture
Browse Samsunspor's upcoming home and away matches and open the one you want. Each listing shows the competition, date and venue so you can confirm you have the right game.
Step2
Create your account or log in
Use the 1BoxOffice register form to set up an account with your name, email address and phone number, or log in if you already have one. Accurate details matter because they are used for delivery updates.
Step3
Select your seats
Filter listings by stand, price and the number of tickets you need. If you want to sit together, choose a listing that confirms seats are adjacent.
Step4
Review the listing details
Read the seller's notes on stand, restrictions, entry requirements and delivery method. Check how Passolig entry will work for your ticket before you continue.
Step5
Complete your payment
Pay through the secure checkout. Orders come with the 150% money-back guarantee, under the buyer protection terms described earlier in this guide.
Step6
Follow your order
Use track order to see the status of your booking and when your tickets will be sent. You will also receive email updates as the delivery date approaches.
Confirmation arrives by email once payment clears. Delivery timing depends on the ticket type and the seller, so allow for that if you are booking travel around a specific fixture.
These are the Samsunspor home fixtures that typically see the strongest demand at the 19 Mayıs Stadium. With parts of the ground closed to sale in 2026/27, the available seats for these matches are concentrated in the open sections, so buying early gives the widest choice.
| Fixture Type | Why It Moves Fast |
|---|---|
| Samsunspor vs Trabzonspor | The Black Sea derby against the club's main rival, priced separately in 2026/27 |
| Samsunspor vs Fenerbahçe | The fixture that set the stadium's record crowd of 33,021 in October 2024 |
| Samsunspor vs Galatasaray | One of Istanbul's big three, with a large following across Türkiye |
| Samsunspor vs Beşiktaş | The third of the Istanbul giants and another separately priced fixture |
| Late-season matches with Europe at stake | If Samsunspor are chasing a European place again, the run-in draws bigger crowds |
Delivery method varies by listing, and each one states how the tickets will reach you. The main types are:
Always read the listing notes for the delivery type and entry arrangements before you buy, and keep your phone charged so updates reach you.
Allow time to travel out to Tekkeköy, particularly on derby days when trams and roads are busy. Visiting supporters staying in the city centre or Atakum should plan their route in advance, as the stadium is some distance east of both. Turnstiles read the Passolig card or digital ticket, and security checks are thorough for the highest-profile matches. As at all Turkish football matches, the national anthem is played before kick-off, and supporters are expected to stand.
Entry to Süper Lig matches is linked to the Passolig system. Carry photo identification, such as a passport for foreign visitors, keep your phone charged if your ticket is digital and follow the instructions in your listing. Stewards and police may check identification at the entrance.
Expect searches at the entrance and travel light, as large bags may not be allowed into the stadium. Pyrotechnics are prohibited under Turkish football rules, and supporters should follow stadium regulations and stewards' instructions throughout the match. Leave plenty of time to exit afterwards, as trams fill quickly after the final whistle.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Samsunspor Kulübü |
| Founded | 30 June 1965 (professional club) |
| Nicknames | Kırmızı Şimşekler (the Red Lightning), Kırmızı-Beyazlılar (the Red and Whites) |
| Stadium | Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium (capacity about 34,000) |
| Head coach | Nenad Bjelica (appointed October 2026) |
| President | Yüksel Yıldırım |
| League | Süper Lig (18 clubs) |
| Colours | Red and white, with black in memory of 1989 |
Samsunspor's story is one of the most dramatic in Turkish football. It includes championship-chasing sides of the 1980s, a tragedy that shook the nation, long years in the lower leagues and a modern revival that took the club into Europe for the first time.
Football in Samsun has roots stretching back to an amateur club in 1927, but the modern professional Samsunspor dates from 1965. Within four years the club had reached the top flight, making its debut in the 1969/70 season as champions of the second tier, and the following decade saw it move between the top two divisions, collecting second-tier titles and establishing itself as the leading club of the central Black Sea region.
The mid-1980s were Samsunspor's first golden age. Tanju Çolak scored 33 league goals in 1985/86, the third-highest total in Europe that season and enough to earn him the Bronze Shoe, and 25 more the following year, firing the club to two third-place finishes. In 1987/88 Samsunspor finished fourth and reached the Turkish Cup final, losing to Sakaryaspor over two legs. Across its history the club has spent 34 seasons in the top flight, and the 1980s remain the benchmark against which every Samsunspor side is measured.
Then came the most tragic day in the club's history. On 20 January 1989, the team bus travelling to a match against Malatyaspor collided with a lorry near Havza and left the road. Head coach Nuri Asan, players Mete Adanır and Muzaffer Badalıoğlu and driver Asım Özkan were killed, and Zoran Tomić died months later after a long coma. Other players were left with life-changing injuries. Emin Kar and Erol Dinler were among those left with lasting disabilities. Players from Çarşambaspor, whose bus was passing, helped rescue survivors, an act of solidarity still remembered in the region. Memorials to the victims were unveiled in 2020. The club added black to its colours in memory of those lost, and its training ground today bears the name of Nuri Asan.
Samsunspor recovered from the tragedy to become a regular top-flight club through the 1990s. They won the Balkans Cup in 1994, beating PAS Giannina 3–0 in Greece and 2–0 at home in the final, and reached the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup in 1998, where Werder Bremen ended the run 6–0 on aggregate. Serkan Aykut's 30 goals in 1999/2000 made him the league's top scorer. Relegation in 2006 began a difficult period: a brief return in 2011/12 ended in immediate relegation, and by 2018 the club had fallen into the third tier.
Investment under president Yüksel Yıldırım and a clear sporting plan brought Samsunspor back. Ertuğrul Sağlam, a former player, led the club out of the 2. Lig in 2020, and Hüseyin Eroğlu's side won the 1. Lig title in 2023. In the Süper Lig, German coach Thomas Reis built a team that finished third in 2024/25 with 64 points, equalling the highest league finishes of the 1980s and earning a first European campaign. That campaign took Samsunspor through the Conference League league phase and past Shkëndija before Rayo Vallecano won a tight round-of-16 tie 3–2 on aggregate.
The European run deserves a closer look. After narrowly losing the Europa League play-off to Panathinaikos, Samsunspor opened their Conference League campaign with a 1–0 win away at Legia Warsaw, then beat Dynamo Kyiv 3–0 and Ħamrun Spartans 3–0 at home. A 2–2 draw with Breiðablik in Iceland and defeats to AEK Athens and Mainz left them 12th with 10 points, enough for a knockout play-off. There they beat Shkëndija 1–0 away and 4–0 at home before meeting Rayo Vallecano, losing 3–1 in Samsun on 12 March 2026 and winning 1–0 in Madrid a week later.
Reis's tenure ended in February 2026 after 72 matches, 33 of them wins, and Thorsten Fink took charge for the rest of the season, guiding the side to seventh and a Turkish Cup quarter-final. Fink left in October 2026, and Nenad Bjelica, a Croatian coach with Süper Lig experience at Trabzonspor, signed until the end of the 2026/27 season. The summer before brought significant sales, with around €29 million raised from departures, giving the club resources to rebuild the squad.
Samsunspor's legends include prolific goalscorers, a coach remembered for his sacrifice and the players who led the modern revival. The club does not have a documented tradition of retired shirt numbers.
The club also remembers those lost in 1989. Mete Adanır, Muzaffer Badalıoğlu and Zoran Tomić, along with coach Nuri Asan and driver Asım Özkan, are remembered by the club and its supporters, and the anniversary of the crash remains a day of reflection for the city.
| Name | Role | Contribution | Milestones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanju Çolak | Striker, 1980s | The most prolific forward in the club's history and a national star of the 1980s. His goals powered Samsunspor's best league finishes. | 123 goals in 157 games; Süper Lig top scorer in 1985/86 (33) and 1986/87 (25) |
| Nuri Asan | Player and head coach | A club figure who served as a player and later as head coach. He lost his life in the 1989 crash, and the club's training ground carries his name. | Nuri Asan training facilities named in his honour |
| Serkan Aykut | Striker | A clinical forward who led the line in the club's top-flight years around the turn of the century. He became the league's leading scorer. | Süper Lig top scorer in 1999/2000 with 30 goals |
| Ertuğrul Sağlam | Player; later head coach | Earned a Turkey call-up during his playing days at the club and later returned as coach. His side began the modern revival. | 2. Lig champions as coach in 2019/20 |
| Thomas Reis | Head coach, 2024 to 2026 | The German coach who took Samsunspor to their joint-best league finish and into Europe. His teams combined organisation with attacking threat. | Third place in 2024/25; Conference League round of 16 |
| Marius Mouandilmadji | Striker, 2023 to 2026 | A powerful forward who led the attack through the return to the top flight and the European campaign. His sale to Olympiacos brought a major fee. | Club top scorer in 2023/24 and 2024/25 |
| Hüseyin Eroğlu | Head coach, 2022 to 2023 | The coach who completed the climb back to the Süper Lig, taking over early in the 2022/23 season. His side won the 1. Lig title in style. | 1. Lig champions in 2022/23 with 78 points |
| Zeki Yavru | Defender, 2022 to 2026 | A long-serving player across four seasons of the revival, from the 1. Lig title to Europe. He left at the end of his contract in 2026. | 136 appearances |
Samsunspor's honours reflect a club with deep roots in the top two divisions and a memorable regional cup triumph. Counts below are cross-referenced against league records.
| Competition | Record |
|---|---|
| Süper Lig | Best finish 3rd (1985/86, 1986/87, 2024/25) |
| TFF 1. Lig (second tier) | 7 titles, most recently 2022/23 |
| TFF 2. Lig | 1 title (2019/20) |
| Balkans Cup | Winners (1993/94) |
| Turkish Cup | Runners-up (1987/88) |
| UEFA Conference League | Round of 16 (2025/26) |
Samsunspor's rivalries are rooted in the Black Sea region, with the meeting with Trabzonspor standing above all others. Games against the Istanbul giants carry a different kind of significance: a chance for a regional club to measure itself against the country's most famous names.
Trabzonspor are Samsunspor's main rivals. The two clubs represent the eastern and central Black Sea, and meetings between them are among the most charged fixtures of the Samsunspor season. Recent seasons have added fresh edges: Trabzonspor knocked Samsunspor out of the 2025/26 Turkish Cup on penalties at the quarter-final stage, and Samsunspor's new coach, Nenad Bjelica, previously managed Trabzonspor.
Matches against clubs from along the coast are known collectively as the Karadeniz derbisi, the Black Sea derby. These regional meetings carry pride for supporters across the region, though none matches the intensity of the Trabzonspor fixture. The Black Sea has a distinctive football culture, with passionate crowds, strong local identities and long-standing regional rivalries, and Samsunspor's place as the leading club of the central coast gives these matches an extra edge whenever the two sides share a division or meet in the cup. For visiting neutrals, a Black Sea derby is one of the most authentic experiences in Turkish football.
Fenerbahçe's visits have produced some of the most memorable occasions at the 19 Mayıs Stadium, including the record crowd of 33,021 in October 2024. Facing one of Istanbul's giants is always a major event in Samsun, and the fixture is among those priced separately in the 2026/27 season ticket structure.
The other two Istanbul clubs complete the list of the season's biggest home matches. Both bring large travelling followings and national attention, and both are priced separately from standard league fixtures.
Rayo Vallecano ended Samsunspor's first European adventure in the 2025/26 Conference League round of 16. The Madrid club won 3–1 in Samsun before Samsunspor won 1–0 in Spain, falling just short on aggregate. The tie showed how close the club had come to the quarter-finals at the first attempt.
Legia Warsaw hold a special place as the opponents in Samsunspor's first European win. The 1–0 victory in Warsaw on the opening night of the 2025/26 Conference League league phase set the tone for a campaign that went further than many expected, and it remains one of the proudest results in the club's history.
Panathinaikos were Samsunspor's first European opponents, meeting them in the Europa League play-off round in August 2025. The Greek club won 2–1 in Athens and held on for a goalless draw in Samsun, sending Samsunspor into the Conference League, where their European story really began.
The past five seasons trace Samsunspor's journey from the second tier to Europe.
| Season | Summary |
|---|---|
| 2021/22 | Samsunspor finished seventh in the 1. Lig with 51 points, just outside the promotion places. The Turkish Cup run ended in the fifth round. It was a season of building before the push that followed. |
| 2022/23 | Under Hüseyin Eroğlu, Samsunspor won the 1. Lig title with 78 points and returned to the Süper Lig. It was the club's seventh second-tier title. The cup run again ended in the fifth round. |
| 2023/24 | Back in the top flight, Samsunspor secured survival in the lower half of the table on 43 points, with Markus Gisdol replacing Eroğlu early in the season. They reached the last 16 of the Turkish Cup. Marius Mouandilmadji finished as top scorer. |
| 2024/25 | Thomas Reis led Samsunspor to third place with 64 points, equalling the club's best finish and earning a first European campaign. The stadium's record crowd of 33,021 watched the visit of Fenerbahçe. Qualification for Europe was sealed on 25 May 2025. |
| 2025/26 | Samsunspor finished seventh with 51 points and reached the Conference League round of 16 after beating Shkëndija 5–0 on aggregate, before Rayo Vallecano won 3–2 on aggregate. Thorsten Fink replaced Reis in February 2026. Trabzonspor won the Turkish Cup quarter-final on penalties. |
Samsunspor reshaped their squad in the summer of 2026, raising around €29 million from sales including Marius Mouandilmadji to Olympiacos, Ali Diabaté to Al Qadsiah, Rick van Drongelen to Panathinaikos and Carlo Holse to St. Louis City. New arrivals included Anto Sekongo, Gabriele Guarino, Oskar Öhlenschlaeger, Elliot Watt and Mohamed Bayo. The table lists key members of the first-team squad.
| No. | Player | Position | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Okan Kocuk | Goalkeeper | Türkiye |
| 2 | Joe Mendes | Defender | Sweden |
| 3 | Igor Drapiński | Defender | Poland |
| 16 | Strahinja Eraković | Defender | Serbia |
| 22 | Yunus Emre Çift | Defender | Türkiye |
| 34 | Gabriele Guarino | Defender | Italy |
| 17 | Logi Tómasson | Defender | Iceland |
| 4 | Elliot Watt | Midfielder | Scotland |
| 5 | Celil Yüksel | Midfielder | Türkiye |
| 8 | Samed Onur | Midfielder | Türkiye |
| 20 | Yalçın Kayan | Midfielder | Türkiye |
| 19 | Oskar Öhlenschlaeger | Midfielder | Denmark |
| 10 | Tanguy Coulibaly | Forward | France |
| 11 | Emre Kılınç | Forward | Türkiye |
| 7 | Elayis Tavşan | Forward | Netherlands |
| 18 | Mohamed Bayo | Forward | Guinea |
The squad blends Turkish experience with international recruitment. Emre Kılınç, a winger who has played for some of Türkiye's biggest clubs, and midfielders Celil Yüksel and Samed Onur provide local knowledge, while Iceland international Logi Tómasson, French forward Tanguy Coulibaly and Guinean striker Mohamed Bayo add pace and goals. Summer signings Elliot Watt and Oskar Öhlenschlaeger strengthened the midfield as the club adjusted to the loss of several key players to bigger leagues.
Squad numbers and personnel can change in the January transfer window, so the club's matchday information is the place to confirm the latest line-up.
Tickets for Süper Lig matches are linked to a Passolig card registered to the person attending. Foreign visitors can apply with a passport or residence permit. Each 1BoxOffice listing explains its own delivery and entry arrangements.
The stadium is in Tekkeköy, east of Samsun city centre, and the SAMULAŞ tram stops nearby. Taxis and private cars are also common. Allow extra time on derby days, when trams and roads are busy.
Season tickets for 2026/27 range from 7,000 to 40,000 lira depending on the stand. Matches against Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Trabzonspor are priced separately. Families, women, students and disabled supporters receive a 30% discount.
Tickets for Turkish professional football are electronic and linked to the Passolig system. Each 1BoxOffice listing states its delivery method and timing before purchase. Read those notes carefully and keep your phone charged on matchday.
Samsunspor's best Süper Lig finish is third, achieved in 1985/86, 1986/87 and 2024/25. The 2024/25 finish earned the club's first European campaign. Samsunspor reached the Conference League round of 16 in 2025/26.
Whether it is the Black Sea derby against Trabzonspor, a visit from one of Istanbul's giants or a league evening by the sea, a seat at the 19 Mayıs Stadium is worth planning for. 1BoxOffice has been a verified ticket marketplace since 2006, and orders come with its 150% money-back guarantee under the buyer protection terms. Pick your fixture, choose your stand and head for Samsun.
Sources: Samsunspor official website, Turkish Football Federation, Süper Lig, UEFA, Passolig, Fanatik, beIN Sports Türkiye, DHA, CNBC-e, Cumhuriyet, RSSSF, StadiumDB and Wikipedia (cross-reference). 1BoxOffice is an independent marketplace and is not affiliated with Samsunspor, the Turkish Football Federation, the Süper Lig or UEFA.
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