Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe’s boycott of the Super Cup final has sparked a strong reaction from Turkish football clubs, who have come together in unity. Many clubs not only shared messages such as “Peace at home, peace in the world” and “We follow in Atatürk’s footsteps,” but also called for the final to be played in their own stadiums.
Following the cancellation of the Super Cup, Turkish clubs expressed their solidarity through social media. Beşiktaş, in their first post, shared an image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with the message “We follow in Atatürk’s footsteps.” In their second post under the title “Our doors are open,” they invited everyone to play the Super Cup final, surrounded by Turkish flags, in the world’s most beautiful stadium, Dolmabahçe.
Trabzonspor made a post with Atatürk’s image and the slogan “Peace at home, peace in the world.” Başakşehir, Adana Demirspor, Antalyaspor, Ankaragücü, Sivasspor, Alanyaspor, Karagümrük, Konyaspor, Samsunspor, and İstanbulspor, among other clubs, reiterated the understanding of “Peace at home, peace in the world.” Kayserispor, Hatayspor, and Pendikspor expressed their support with the message “We follow in Atatürk’s footsteps.”
Many clubs not only showed their support for Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, but also called for the Super Cup final to be played in their own stadiums. Samsunspor invited them by saying, “Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, we have turned on the lights, raised the flags, we are waiting for you in Samsun.” Ankaragücü called for the final to be held in Ankara, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Republic.
Some players immediately reacted to the developments. Irfan Can Kahveci shared a photo wearing a t-shirt with Atatürk’s image at 19:37. Mert Hakan made a similar post, and Livakovic’s response received a lot of applause. Galatasaray players, including Kerem Aktürkoğlu, used lines from the National Anthem in their messages. Players like Abdülkerim and Barış Alper also drew attention with their posts.
Even the Beşiktaş basketball team showed support for rival teams. They announced that the entire stadium would be adorned with Turkish flags in the men’s and women’s basketball matches to be played at the BJK Emlakjet Sports Complex today.
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality adjusted the metro fares for the Super Cup. In their statement, they emphasized the Night Metro service for those returning to the country early and expressed their readiness to welcome the winning teams.
Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe’s decision to boycott the Super Cup final made headlines worldwide. L’Equipe attributed the last-minute cancellation of the Turkish Super Cup to local authorities not allowing the display of t-shirts showing respect for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. Marca reported a scandalous incident in the Turkish Super Cup, and Sport Mediaset described it as a “diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Saudi Arabia.” Calcio Mercato referred to it as an “unprecedented diplomatic crisis” due to local authorities preventing the entry of banners and t-shirts referring to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
In summary, Turkish football clubs not only showed solidarity in response to the cancellation of the Super Cup, but also offered alternative venues for the final and made a strong statement about the importance of historical and cultural values in Turkish sports.