Istanbul: Turkish media responded angrily on Wednesday to Turkey being ordered to play their next six home matches abroad and behind closed doors, saying it reflected political hostility to their country in Europe.

The sanctions imposed by Fifa followed a brawl after a qualifier against Switzerland in Istanbul that ended Turkey’s hopes of reaching the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Turkey has vowed to appeal against the ruling, which the country's sports minister described as politically motivated. (Reuters)