The 1st Lig 1980/81 was the 23rd season of the highest Turkish league in men's football . It began on August 23, 1980 with the game Bursaspor against Trabzonspor , which went 1: 1 and ended on May 24, 1981. From January 4, 1981 to January 31, 1981, the season was interrupted by the winter break.
Trabzonspor finished the season again as Turkish champions and defended this title for the third time in the club's history. Trabzonspor succeeded in being the second club after Galatasaray Istanbul to win the Turkish championship three times in a row. This season marked the fifth championship season for the great Trabzonspor team, better known as Karadeniz Fırtınası , who would dominate Turkish football from 1975 to 1984. With the runner-up in the league, Adanaspor achieved the best first division placement in its club's history, making it the sixth club that has been able to reach the runner-up to date.
For the 1st Lig 1980/81 were added to the remaining 13 clubs from the previous season, the three promoted from the last second division season . The climbers were once the two second division champions Mersin İdman Yurdu and Kocaelispor and once the relegation winner Boluspor . While the rise for Kocaelispor meant the first first division participation in the club's history, Mersin İdman Yurdu returned with the rise after two years in the first league. Boluspor achieved direct resurgence through the second division championship.