The annual Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce has been cancelled following a reported dispute between the clubs and the hosts in Saudi Arabia. The highly anticipated match was scheduled to take place at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on Friday evening.

News broke out alleging that the Saudi authorities had prevented the Turkish national anthem from being played, banned a banner featuring the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, from being displayed, and disallowed players from wearing T-shirts featuring a similar image and message during their warm-up. These alleged actions sparked controversy and fueled tensions between the clubs and the host nation.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish Football Federation had vehemently denied these reports, dismissing them as "disinformation" and defending the decision to hold the match in Saudi Arabia, which had faced criticism. However, as kick-off approached and fans were already inside the stadium, a joint decision was made to postpone the match to a later date.

The cancellation of the Turkish Super Cup final comes at a time of turmoil for Turkish football. Just a few weeks ago, league games were suspended after a referee was assaulted at the end of a top-flight match. Faruk Koca, president of Super Lig side MKE Ankaragucu, ran onto the field and punched referee Halil Umut Meler following a draw against Caykur Rizespor. As a result, the referee was hospitalized, and Koca subsequently resigned from his position.

Upon the resumption of matches earlier this month, another game between Istanbulspor and Trabzonspor faced disruption. The match was initially suspended and later abandoned when the host team's president, in protest against a refereeing decision, led his players off the field.

The cancellation of the Turkish Super Cup final raises concerns about the state of Turkish football and the issues surrounding the game. Fans and officials alike hope that a resolution can be found in order to preserve the integrity and spirit of the sport.