Drogheda United to meet Trabzonspor in Turkey — Salah’s participation unclear
October 1, 2026 10:50
Drogheda United will travel to the Turkish Black Sea coast to play a friendly against Trabzonspor on Thursday, a fixture that reflects a relationship between the clubs built over more than 20 years. Mohamed Salah joined Trabzonspor in August, but whether he will face Drogheda is uncertain after he was left out of Egypt’s squad that played South Sudan on Tuesday because that qualifier was held on artificial turf.
HOW THE LINK STARTED
The connection began in 2006 when members of a Trabzonspor online forum noticed Drogheda’s crest and colours. "In 2006, in a Trabzonspor forum online, a couple of fans realised that there was a small Irish club that had the star and crescent," Drogheda chief executive Rian Wogan told BBC Sport. "From there they then subsequently realised that our club colours are also claret and blue and messages started going back and forward."
HARD TIMES AND FRIENDSHIP
The relationship deepened during Drogheda’s financial crisis in 2008. When the club went into examinership and were deducted 10 league points, Trabzonspor fans sent letters that included cash. The clubs formalised ties two years later when they became sister clubs. A planned ceremonial friendly in Dublin in 2013 was abandoned after severe rain; as Wogan explained: "We had our staff in the turnstiles waiting to scan tickets in, but the game was deemed unplayable and Trabzonspor went home without playing the fixture."
FAN ENGAGEMENT
The friendship has produced tangible fan links. Drogheda’s social post announcing the friendly on 2 September has been viewed more than half a million times, and roughly 30% of Drogheda’s social media followers are from Turkey. Trabzonspor shirts and flags are regularly seen at Drogheda matches, Turkish supporters sometimes visit the club during the week, and at least one Turkish supporter, Cafer Bektas, lives a few miles outside Drogheda and attends every game. Around 30–35 Drogheda fans are expected to make the roughly 4,700 km trip to Turkey, and some Trabzonspor supporters have already offered homes to visitors.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The friendly will be played on Thursday on the Black Sea coast. Mohamed Salah’s appearance is unresolved following his omission from Egypt’s most recent qualifier because of the artificial turf issue.