Few competitions in the world generate the same arguments, the same debates and even the same divisions as the Spanish Super Cup. It comes down to the format, the money, the huge sums shared out – rather unevenly, it has to be said – among the clubs taking part. But the truth is that it is a tournament with huge appeal, on television and beyond. The agreement officially announced between the RFEF, the Spanish football federation that organises the competition, and Turkey, which will host the 2027 edition, is proof of that: after the controversial experiences in Saudi Arabia, the final four featuring the best clubs from the previous Spanish season – La Liga champions Barcelona, Copa del Rey holders Real Sociedad, La Liga runners-up Real Madrid and Copa finalists Atlético – will be played in Istanbul.
At three different stadiums, too: Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen, which will host the final, Besiktas’ Vodafone Park and Fenerbahce’s Chobani, where the two semi-finals will be played. The four clubs involved will certainly be happy with the trip to Istanbul: taking part in the Super Cup will bring them €40 million. Most of that, as mentioned, will go straight into the clubs’ coffers; the rest will fund the lower divisions of the Spanish football pyramid. As El País writes, it is “the same amount paid by Saudi Arabia for each edition”. In fact, the Spanish newspaper reports, the idea had been to keep staging the competition in Riyadh and its surroundings. The problem is that Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup at the beginning of 2027, so the RFEF had to find a new host country.
In that sense, Turkey is a very sensible choice. For economic reasons, certainly, but also because of its football culture and its hospitality. The Turkish officials present at the tournament’s official launch – Sports Minister Osman Bak and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy – said: “We will make the Spanish clubs feel at home. The event will also be broadcast to 150 million people, giving Turkey considerable international exposure. This will strengthen our ability to host major events. It will be a very important showcase.” It all makes sense, especially with Euro 2032 on the horizon, when Turkey will host the tournament jointly with Italy. It will be the first major multi-day football event to be held in Turkey. Better to start getting ready.