Drogheda United Set to Face Mohamed Salah's Trabzonspor in Friendly 20 Years in the Making

Drogheda United will make the 4,700km journey to Turkey's Black Sea coast on Thursday to face Trabzonspor in a friendly that has been two decades in the making — and one that could yet hand the League of Ireland club a night against Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian forward was given a hero's welcome in August when he was unveiled to a packed 40,000-seat Papara Park. That same weekend, Drogheda travelled to Galway to play out a 0-0 draw in a League of Ireland tie in front of around 5,000 fans.

How an online forum post sparked a 20-year bond

The unlikely relationship between the two clubs traces back to 2006, when Trabzonspor supporters noticed a small Irish side carrying the star and crescent — the symbols of the Turkish flag — as well as matching claret and blue 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, which are obviously symbols from the Turkish flag," 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."

The wider bond between Ireland and Turkey stretches back further still, forged in the 1800s when the Ottoman Empire sent humanitarian aid to Ireland during the Great Famine, with the Ottoman Sultan donating £1,000. The two countries also mark 75 years of diplomatic relations this year.

Cash in envelopes and a washed-out Dublin date

In 2008, Drogheda entered examinership — Ireland's equivalent of administration — and were deducted 10 points in the league. When Trabzonspor fans heard of the club's plight, they sent letters containing cash to help.

Two years later, the relationship was made official when the clubs became sisters, and plans were drawn up for a ceremonial friendly in Dublin in 2013.

"They travelled over here to play and there was a freak deluge of rain that fell within an hour of kick-off," 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."

That makes Thursday's meeting a long time coming.

Trabzonspor shirts in the stands at Drogheda

When Drogheda announced the friendly on social media on 2 September, Trabzonspor fans reacted in their droves. The post on X has been viewed well over half a million times, and about 30% of Drogheda's social media following now comes from Turkey — more than their share of followers from Ireland.

The crossover is visible away from screens, too. Trabzonspor shirts and flags are commonly spotted at Drogheda matches, and Turkish fans sometimes visit the club during the week just to see the stadium.

One Trabzonspor supporter, Cafer Bektas, lives a couple of miles outside Drogheda and attends every game. When he first moved to the area, wearing a Trabzonspor jersey caught the attention of locals and earned him discounts in shops.

Drogheda's travelling support will hope for similarly warm treatment on the Black Sea coast, with between 30 and 35 Boynesiders fans set to make the trip. Some Trabzonspor supporters have already offered their homes to the visiting supporters.

Salah's presence uncertain but the occasion stands alone

Whether Salah lines up against the Irish side remains to be seen. The forward was left out of Egypt's squad that faced South Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday, with the match played on artificial turf cited as the reason for his absence.

Salah joined Trabzonspor in the summer after ending a trophy-laden nine-year spell at Liverpool, where he scored 257 goals in 442 appearances and claimed nine major honours, and he has made a prolific start in Turkey — registering seven goals and two assists in his first six league appearances, as reported by BBC Sport on 26 September 2026. In the latest edition of BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast on 24 September 2026, his hat-trick for Trabzonspor against Galatasaray was among the main talking points.

Wogan believes even his presence would add to the weight of the occasion. "He might not be in the squad, but even to have him in the stadium would be incredible," he said. "Trabzonspor have done amazing business in the last couple of windows and have really pushed the boundaries. The prospect of facing them is incredible."

Salah or no Salah, the two clubs will be marking a special and unlikely relationship.