For the first time in Latvian football history, the Latvian Super Cup will be played outside the country. The match takes place today in Antalya, Turkey, where reigning Virslīga champions Riga FC will face Latvian Cup holders FK Auda in a repeat of last season’s cup final.
The Latvian Football Federation decided to relocate the fixture from Rīga to Turkey, citing unfavourable weather conditions in Latvia. Both clubs are currently holding their pre-season training camps in Antalya, which made the switch possible. Although speculation about the move circulated several days before the official announcement, reaction among football fans has been largely negative rather than positive. The match, however, will go ahead in Turkey. The next opportunity for fans in Latvia to see the teams in an official domestic fixtures will come in the opening round of the new Virslīga season.
FK Auda earned their Super Cup place after last season’s dramatic Latvian Cup final at Skonto Stadium on 29 October. On that evening, Eduards Dašķevičs scored the winning goal against his former club with an individual effort that denied Riga FC a domestic double. After the match, speaking to national television, Dašķevičs openly showed his emotions, admitting how much the goal meant to him in light of his previous experiences at Riga and how strongly he had wanted to score. Dašķevičs now has another opportunity to face his former club.
While both teams have once again chosen to prepare abroad during pre-season, their communication has differed. Riga FC have regularly updated supporters on social media with news of new signings and friendly match results. FK Auda, coached by Frenchman Didier Zanetti, have announced only a lengthy list of departures but have provided little public information about new arrivals or pre-season results. Those details have largely been available only through the Latvian Football Federation’s transfer records or through reports published by their friendly opponents.
Today’s match brings those quiet preparations into public view. Although the Latvian Super Cup does not yet have the same tradition or historical weight as similar competitions in Lithuania or Estonia, it remains an official trophy. This will be only the fourth edition of the competition, and its continuation is part of an effort to build a lasting tradition. While often described internationally as a glorified friendly, the stakes remain clear: Riga FC can lift the Super Cup for the second time and become the first Latvian club to do so, while FK Auda can add a first Super Cup to the two Latvian Cup titles already in their collection.
Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 Latvian time at the Titanic Mardan Stadium in Antalya. The venue holds 7,428 spectators and previously hosted the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, including the final.
