League of Ireland outfit Drogheda United 🇮🇪 have officially confirmed an exhibition friendly against Turkish Süper Lig side Trabzonspor, set to take place at the 40,000-capacity Papara Park in Trabzon on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The match marks Drogheda’s first-ever appearance on Turkish soil and coincides with the 75th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between Ireland and Türkiye.
Deep Historical & Cultural Connections
The fixture highlights a unique historic connection between the Irish town of Drogheda and Türkiye, dating back to Ottoman humanitarian relief sent to Ireland during the Great Famine in the 19th century.
Both clubs share identical claret-and-blue team colors and incorporate the star and crescent emblem on their crests.
The encounter will be filmed as a central feature of an upcoming documentary titled “An Gorta Mór – The Star & The Crescent”, scheduled for broadcast on Turkish television.
“An Incredibly Proud Day”
Drogheda United Chief Executive Rían Wogan hailed the announcement as a milestone moment for the Louth-based club:
“Today is an incredibly proud day for everyone associated with Drogheda United. To be able to take the club, our players, and our supporters to Trabzon for an occasion of this scale is hugely exciting. We know there is a real connection between the two sets of supporters, and we want this trip to leave a lasting legacy beyond football.”
Strategic Sporting Timing
Taking advantage of a three-week autumn window in the League of Ireland schedule, Drogheda will utilize the trip to Trabzon as a mid-season training camp prior to the final stretch of their domestic campaign.
Further details regarding supporter travel packages, ticketing, and streaming broadcast arrangements will be released by both clubs in the coming weeks.
