The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced that Istanbul will host next year’s competition, scheduled to take place from February 2-7. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Real Sociedad will make up the four-team field.
Real Madrid will face Real Sociedad in one semifinal, while Barcelona will take on Atlético Madrid in the other.
The change of venue comes after Saudi Arabia, which has regularly staged the tournament since the Spanish Super Cup adopted its four-team format, became
unavailable for the 2027 edition because of a scheduling conflict with the AFC Asian Cup. The competition is expected to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028.
The RFEF reportedly considered seven different proposals before settling on Istanbul, with Qatar previously emerging as one of the leading candidates.
Real Madrid qualified after finishing second in La Liga, while Barcelona enter as league champions and defending Super Cup winners. Real Sociedad and Atlético qualified through their runs to the Copa del Rey final.
The competition will retain its familiar Final Four structure. The semifinal pairings are determined by matching the Copa del Rey winner with the La Liga runner-up and the league champion with the Copa del Rey runner-up.
According to reports, all three games will be played at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, one of European football’s most recognizable venues. The stadium hosted the 2005 Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan as well as Manchester City’s victory over Inter Milan in the 2023 final.
Despite the tournament moving away from Saudi Arabia for a year, Saudi involvement will remain. Abdulmohsen Al Sheikh, an advisor to General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh, announced that Riyadh Season will sponsor the 2027 edition in Istanbul.
A specialized company will also handle the tournament’s commercial rights and promotional operations in Turkey, working alongside the Spanish and Turkish football federations.
For the RFEF, taking the competition abroad remains an important source of revenue. The federation said the financial benefits generated by the Super Cup ultimately reach nearly 1,000 men’s and women’s clubs throughout the Spanish football pyramid.
The federation has also emphasized the Super Cup’s international reach, with the competition now broadcast in more than 150 countries.
For Real Madrid, the immediate task will be getting past Real Sociedad to reach the final. Should Madrid and Barcelona both advance from their respective semifinals, Istanbul would host another Clásico with the Spanish Super Cup on the line.
