Drogheda United's Historic Friendly Against Trabzonspor

Drogheda United are heading into unfamiliar territory this autumn – and they might just run into Mohamed Salah along the way.

The League of Ireland club have confirmed a glamour friendly against Turkish giants Trabzonspor at Papara Park on 1 October, the first time the Louth side will ever play a match on Turkish soil.

The date is no accident. The fixture drops into a three-week international break and arrives as Ireland and Turkey prepare to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026. This isn’t just a football trip; it’s part of a much longer story between the two countries and, in particular, between Drogheda and Trabzon.

A sister-club bond rooted in famine history

Drogheda United are one of three official sister clubs of Trabzonspor, alongside Sanlıurfaspor and Siirt Provincial Special Administration Sport. That link was formalised in 2011, but the roots stretch far deeper.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer podcast in 2020, former Drogheda PRO Roisin Philips outlined how the bond truly began.

"It goes back far longer than 2011 when they announced that we'd become their sister club," she said. "In fact it goes back to the Great Famine in 1845. Drogheda had links with Turkey as a result of the Sultan at the time sending aid over to the Irish people. Boats came up the Boyne in Drogheda. He also sent £1,000 at the time.

"There's been a long history of co-operation between the two countries, from the Turkish side to Ireland."

That history will be front and centre around the game. A documentary, “An Gorta Mór – The Star & The Crescent”, will air on Turkish television, charting the story of Ottoman humanitarian assistance during the Irish Famine and how it fed into this modern football connection.

Salah factor lingers over Papara Park date

On the pitch, the headline question is obvious: will Drogheda face Salah?

The Egyptian forward, now the marquee name in a star-studded Trabzonspor squad after leaving Liverpool, is due to be in African Cup of Nations qualifying action on 27 September when Egypt meet South Sudan. With that commitment so close to the friendly, there is a real chance he will sit it out.

Even if he does, the scale of the occasion remains huge for Drogheda. Trabzonspor have assembled a side loaded with big names, including Salah’s former Liverpool team-mate Fabinho and ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, underlining the level of opposition awaiting the Irish visitors.

For Drogheda, the trip doubles as a late-season mini-camp during the domestic pause, a chance to sharpen up against elite opposition while deepening a relationship that stretches back to ships on the Boyne and a Sultan’s donation.

For Trabzonspor, it lands just before their own business resumes. Their Süper Lig campaign picks up again the following week, with Salah and company due to travel to Samsunspor as they chase honours at home.

History, politics, and modern football stardom will all collide in Trabzon on 1 October. For a club from Louth, it’s a long journey – but one they’ve been on, in one form or another, for more than 175 years.