Turkish Super Cup CANCELLED in Riyadh with fans inside the stadium as Fenerbahce and Galatasaray players ‘refuse to leave hotels’ with Saudi Arabia ‘banning banner display of Turkey’s founder’

The Turkish Super Cup final between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray has been canceled due to a dispute with host country Saudi Arabia.

Both teams failed to report to Al-Awwal Park Stadium before the match's kick-off at 8:45 PM local time (5:45 PM GMT) as clubs held talks with the Turkish Football Association.

The Turkish Football Association issued a joint statement with the two clubs to confirm that the match has been postponed and will take place at a later date.

'To celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Republic and the Turkish Football Federation abroad, the 2023 Super Cup competition, which we have organized with our clubs in a way that will contribute to the brand value of Turkish football and our clubs, scheduled to be played on Friday, December 29,” the statement said.

'Due to the joint decision, it has been postponed to a later date.

“We would like to thank the Football Association and relevant institutions and organizations of the host country for the efforts they have made so far in organizing the Super Cup.”

The dispute reportedly centered around Saudi authorities ban both clubs from displaying banners and wearing shirts with the words of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The competition coincides with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.

It was previously claimed that Saudi officials had prevented the Turkish national anthem from being played ahead of the match. These reports were denied by the Turkish Football Association.

“The Super Cup match will start in the presence of our Turkish flag, with celebrations in honor of the 100th anniversary, a moment of silence for our martyrs and our national anthem to be read by artist Norm Ender,” the federation told Anadolu Agency.

Galatasaray president Dursun Ozbek and Fenerbahce colleague Ali Koc reportedly held a crucial meeting with Turkish Football Association president Mehmet Buyukeksi to determine whether the match would take place.

Galatasaray had announced prior to the match that the team would wear a special shirt to commemorate the 100th anniversary celebrations.

“We are going to the Fenerbahce match with our shirt specially prepared for the 100th anniversary of our Republic,” Galatasaray wrote on social media.

According to Turkish reports, Saudi authorities did not allow the display of a banner declaring 'Peace at home, peace in the world' and Atatürk t-shirts before the match.

Cumhuriyet reported that the talks did not yield a solution as the match has now been cancelled.

Fans were photographed in the stadium ahead of the match, but later left confirmation that the match had been cancelled.

The stadium lights were then switched off and Galatasaray staff also left the venue on a bus.

It is reported that both clubs will release a joint statement following the cancellation and leave Saudi Arabia this evening.

Images emerged on social media showing Galatasaray packing their bus before traveling to the airport.

Official confirmation of the decision has yet to be announced by the club or the Turkish Football Association.

However, fellow Turkish Super Lig clubs Besiktas and MKE Ankaragucu have since offered to host the final at a later date.

“Our door is open,” read a statement from Besiktas.

'We expect Atatürk lovers to come to Dolmabahçe with Turkish flags to play the Super Cup final, which will be played on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of our Republic on an appropriate date in our Atatürk district, in the most beautiful stadium in the world.'

Ankaragucu added: “The Super Cup Final, formerly known as the President's Cup; This is our invitation to TFF and our clubs to play in our capital Ankara on the 100th anniversary of our Republic.”

Reigning Turkish champions Galatasaray would face rivals and Turkish Cup winners Fenerbahce in the final.

The match would take place outside Turkey for only the fifth time, with Germany hosting three times and Qatar once.

The rivals met less than a week after the teams clashed, with Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi posting a photo showing a black eye suffered during the match.

The latest controversy comes after referee Halil Umut Meler was punched at the end of a top Turkish match early this month.

Former Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca ran onto the pitch and attacked Meler after his team conceded an equalizer in the 97th minute in a 1-1 Super Lig draw against Caykur Rizespor in Turkey.

Speaking about the incident, Meler told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet: “The person who did this hit me, I collapsed and fell to the ground. But the actual kicking while I was on the ground will be something I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Koca was given a life ban by the Turkish Football Federation

The Turkish Football Federation's disciplinary board also ordered Ankaragucu to play five home games behind closed doors and fined the club 60,000 euros.

All competitions were suspended in the wake of the TFF and the top level resumed on Tuesday. But one of the three scheduled matches was abandoned when Istanbulspor's president withdrew his team from the field in protest at a refereeing decision in their match against Trabzonspor.