Galatasaray vs Fenerbahce: The final of the Turkish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia has been postponed

• By Burak Abatay
• ` Turkish

December 29, 2023

Updated 2 hours ago

image source, Getty Images

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The match at Al Awwal Stadium was canceled after the scheduled kick-off time

The Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in Saudi Arabia has been postponed due to a disagreement between the clubs and the host country's authorities.

The match was scheduled to start at 17:45 GMT but was canceled at 19:00 due to thousands of fans at Al-Awwal Stadium in Riyadh.

The Turkish Football Association and clubs blamed “organizational problems” of the game after authorities rejected banners with references to the revered father of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Galatasaray and Fenerbahce were expected to show up to the showpiece match between the Turkish league champions and the cup winners with banners bearing Ataturk's words “Peace at home, peace in the world”, which the Saudi authorities would not allow.

Players were also not allowed to enter the field if they were wearing T-shirts with Ataturk's image.

Atatürk launched a program of revolutionary social and political reforms to modernize Turkey and served as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938.

These reforms included the emancipation of women, the abolition of all Islamic institutions and the introduction of Western legal systems, clothing, calendars and alphabets, replacing the Arabic script with a Latin one.

Senior officials from Galatasaray and Fenerbahce met with Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president Mehmet Buyukeksi before the decision was announced.

The joint statement from the TFF and the clubs said: “We have jointly decided on this postponement together with our clubs.”

“We would like to thank the host country’s football association and relevant institutions for their efforts so far in organizing the Super Cup.”

The Riyadh Season, organizers of the match, said: “We looked forward to holding the match on time and in accordance with international football rules and regulations, which require the sport to be presented without slogans outside its scope, especially as this was discussed with the Turkish association as part of the preparatory meetings for the game.

“Despite this agreement, it was unfortunate that the two teams did not adhere to the agreements, which resulted in the game not being played.”

The decision to play the game in Saudi Arabia was criticized in Turkey as 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the modern Turkish Republic.

The Turkish Super Lig clubs Samsunspor and Besiktas called for the game to be played in their stadiums.