The 2026-27 Turkish Super Lig is set to begin this weekend with the battle to dethrone Galatasaray as champions and end their four-year stronghold on the championship set to get underway.
Several African footballers made the leap to the league during the course of the summer transfer window, and could set up a fascinating battle against one another as they aim to lead their teams to league success.
Here are five African footballers to follow closely during the upcoming Turkish top flight league season.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)
Nigerians forward Victor Osimhen once again headlines the biggest African superstars in the Super Lig and will be aiming to reclaim the golden boot award from compatriot Paul Onuachu and Eldor Shomurodov, who were joint winners in the 2025-26 season.
The 27-year-old’s future has been one of the major storylines this summer, but he is expected to lead the line against Corum on Friday, when Galatasaray kick off their title defence and will be eyeing another superb campaign to help them maintain their dominance in the league.
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Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)
Paul Onuachu rejoined Trabzonspor on a second stint last summer and enjoyed a stunning individual campaign, winning the prestigious golden boot award.
He also scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Konyaspor in the Turkish Cup final, as he helped his side secure a major silverware at the end of the season.
The Super Eagles forward will be relishing another battle with Shomurodov of Istanbul Basaksehir and Osimhen, as they go head to head in the race to become the highest goal scorer this season.
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Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor)
Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah recently completed a staggering move to Trabzonspor ahead of the new season after leaving Liverpool.
Salah cemented his legendary status in the Premier League and will be aiming to start his career on the perfect note in the Super Lig.
His partnership with Onuachu in attack is something fans are looking forward to, and the 34-year-old will make his debut for Trabzonspor when they face Kasimpasa on Saturday.
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Mario Lemina (Galatasaray)
Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina is another African footballer who will be looking to shine and lead Galatasaray to a fifth successive Super Lig title at the end of the season.
The former Wolves midfielder signed a contract extension last month after his previous deal expired at the end of last season.
Lemina’s midfield presence and versatility could become very key for the Cimbom over the course of the campaign, as they also aim for a better outing in the UEFA Champions League.
Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor)
Senegalese forward Cherif Ndiaye rounds off this list as he will be hoping to improve on his strong debut season for Samsunspor in the upcoming campaign.
The 30-year-old joined the club last summer and had impressive stints at several parts of the season and will be aiming for another impressive outing this time around as Samsunspor begin the campaign against Goztepe on Monday.
