Drogheda United Set for Historic Friendly Against Trabzonspor

Drogheda United are heading into the unknown in October – and they might just run into Mohamed Salah when they get there.

The League of Ireland club have confirmed a glamour friendly against Turkish giants Trabzonspor at Papara Park on 1 October, a landmark occasion that will see the Louth side play in Turkey for the first time in their history.

This is no routine post-season run-out. The fixture drops into the middle of a three-week international break and doubles as a late-season mini-camp for Drogheda, but it also sits on a much wider stage. Ireland and Turkey will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, and this game forms part of the build-up to those celebrations.

It also shines a light on a remarkable, often overlooked link between a provincial Irish town and the Ottoman Empire.

From famine ships to sister clubs

Drogheda United are one of three official sister clubs of Trabzonspor, alongside Sanlıurfaspor and Siirt Provincial Special Administration Sport. The bond is not a modern marketing invention, even if it was only formalised in 2011.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer podcast in 2020, former Drogheda PRO Roisin Philips traced the roots of the relationship back to the Great Famine of 1845. During that catastrophe, the Ottoman Sultan sent aid to the Irish people, including £1,000 and ships that sailed up the River Boyne to Drogheda.

"There's been a long history of co-operation between the two countries, from the Turkish side to Ireland," she said then, outlining how those famine-era gestures eventually evolved into a footballing partnership.

That story will sit at the heart of the occasion in October. The match will be accompanied by a Turkish television documentary, “An Gorta Mór – The Star & The Crescent”, which will explore the tale of Ottoman humanitarian assistance during the Irish Famine and the symbolic ties that remain.

Will Salah play?

The headline question, of course, is whether Drogheda will actually share the pitch with one of the modern game’s great forwards.

Trabzonspor have assembled a star-studded squad in recent years. Salah arrived after bringing the curtain down on a glittering spell at Liverpool. He is joined by his former Anfield team-mate Fabinho and ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana in a side built to dominate domestically and compete on a broader stage.

Timing could complicate his involvement. Salah’s Egypt face South Sudan in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on 27 September. With that fixture so close to the friendly, the forward may not feature against Drogheda, depending on travel, recovery, and club plans for the restart of the Turkish Super Lig.

Trabzonspor return to league action the following week with an away trip to Samsunspor, another factor that may influence how strong a side they field.

Even if Salah sits it out, the scale of the challenge for Drogheda remains obvious. A League of Ireland outfit stepping into one of Turkey’s most intense footballing environments, facing a squad laced with Champions League experience, is a significant step up from their weekly domestic grind.

For Drogheda, though, this is about more than the result on the night. It is a chance to sharpen up during the break, to test themselves against elite opposition, and to walk directly into a living piece of shared history – from famine ships on the Boyne to the roar of Papara Park.