RFEF President Moves 2027 Spanish Super Cup to Istanbul Amid Asia Cup Clash

Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Rafael Lozano has stated that the relocation of the 2027 Spanish Super Cup from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, Turkey, stems from a calendar clash with the AFC Asian Cup — not security-related considerations.

Timing Conflict With AFC Asian Cup

The tournament is scheduled to take place in Istanbul between 2 and 7 February 2027, according to the Turkish Football Federation. A launch ceremony was held on Thursday, attended by Lozano and Saudi Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal.

Lozano emphasized that negotiations to move the competition began prior to recent regional tensions, as organizers had already anticipated the scheduling overlap with the AFC Asian Cup.

“This is largely due to its coincidence with the Asian Cup,” Lozano said in an interview, adding that the decision was jointly agreed upon with the Saudi company “Sala” and the Saudi government.

Club and Host Coordination

Lozano confirmed that Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, and Atlético Madrid have expressed satisfaction with the revised arrangements. He also extended gratitude to Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahçe for providing stadiums and infrastructure support.

The RFEF had hosted the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in recent years under its agreement with Sala.

Financial Terms and Future Agreements

Lozano noted that the financial terms for the Istanbul edition will remain broadly consistent with the current agreement, featuring “some improvements,” though he declined to disclose the monetary value of the deal.

He further revealed that discussions are already underway with Sala and Saudi authorities to extend the existing agreement beyond 2030.

“This year, the alliance between Turkey and Saudi Arabia also enabled our presence here,” Lozano added.