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Rabat – The Turkish Super Cup final between Istanbul’s Galatasaray and Fenerbahce was called off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, following controversy over players’ jerseys.
Scheduled to take place on Friday at the King Saud University venue, the event was canceled due to Turkish players’ wearing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s image on their T-shirts.
Turkish media reports indicated that both teams were eager to wear shirts featuring Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, during the pre-match warm-up. Saudi organizers, however, did not authorize the move.
In addition, banners with political slogans and Ataturk-themed icons were reportedly prohibited, including those featuring Ataturk’s renowned “peace at home, peace in the world” slogan.
The dispute led to an impasse, with both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce refusing to proceed with the final, resulting in the cancellation of the event.
“We had been looking forward to holding the match on time in accordance with the international football rules and regulations which require presenting the sport without any slogans outside its scope, especially since this was discussed with the Turkish Federation in the framework of the preparatory meetings for the match,” the Saudi organizers said in a statement.
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In response, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the clubs jointly announced the postponement of the 2023 Super Cup to a later, undisclosed date, citing “problems in its organization” as the reason for the decision.
Although the TFF thanked the host country’s football federation and relevant institutions for their efforts, the exact details of the rescheduling have yet to be revealed. The incident comes as Turkey commemorates its 100-year anniversary as a republic. Many had hoped for the annual match to take place in Turkey.
Turkish football fans welcomed Galatasaray at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport, showcasing their support by holding Turkish flags and images of Ataturk.
Relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been strained since 2018, following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey.
While the two countries have signaled a shared willingness to turn the page on Khashoggi in recent months, it remains to be seen whether this latest incident will reignite diplomatic tensions.
