Turkish Super Cup final cancelled after row between clubs, authorities and broadcaster

The Turkish Super Cup final, scheduled to take place in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Friday, between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, has been called off due to a dispute between the clubs and Saudi authorities, as reported by Turkish broadcaster NTV.

There has been no prompt official confirmation of the cancellation, as several media outlets have reported.

If they were not granted permission to wear t-shirts showcasing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during the pre-match warm-up, both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce had declared that they would refuse to participate in the final held at Al-Awwal Park stadium.

According to Turkish media, Saudi officials declined this request, although the reason behind their decision remains unclear. It is worth noting that the match aligns with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the secular Turkish Republic.

In addition, there were media reports suggesting that the national anthem and flag of Turkey would not be permitted at the final. However, the Turkish Football Federation had previously confirmed that they would indeed be included.

According to state broadcaster TRT, Turkey's sports minister, football federation chief, and the heads of Fenerbahce and Galatasaray were engaged in discussions regarding this situation.

This incident occurred amidst a recent improvement in relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. In July, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to mend ties that had been strained following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018.

The reported cancellation of the final only added to the controversies that have plagued Turkish football throughout the month. On December 12th, Faruk Koca, the president of top-tier club Ankaragucu, was arrested for physically assaulting a referee at the end of a match. As a result, Koca received a permanent ban from the TFF, and Ankaragucu faced sanctions.

The Turkish league was temporarily suspended due to the violence, and when it resumed, Istanbulspor walked off the pitch in protest against a refereeing decision during a Super Lig game against Trabzonspor. Consequently, the match was abandoned.