Turkish World Cup broadcaster suspended after confusing Iran and New Zealand for four minutes

Turkish state broadcaster TRT suspended veteran commentator Murat Ekrem Cimen from its World Cup 2026 coverage after he spent approximately four minutes confusing Iran and New Zealand during the two sides’ group-stage match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Cimen, who has more than 30 years of experience in Turkish sports broadcasting, incorrectly identified players and mixed up the two nations throughout the passage of play — a particularly striking error given that Iran were dressed in white and New Zealand in black.

Footage of the blunder spread rapidly across social media, prompting widespread criticism and leaving TRT with little choice but to act. The broadcaster announced Cimen’s suspension shortly after the match, issuing a public statement that did not spare its own employee.

“We apologize to our viewers and the public for this error,” TRT wrote. “It is unacceptable for TRT that someone with over 30 years of experience in sports broadcasting would make such a mistake.”

The network acknowledged Cimen’s standing within Turkish sports media before confirming he would play no further part in its World Cup coverage for the remainder of the tournament in the United States.

The reaction online was swift and, in some cases, severe. Cimen’s Instagram page reportedly suffered technical disruptions following a wave of hostile attention, and his linked account on X disappeared in the aftermath. Viewer criticism extended beyond Cimen himself, with some directing frustration at TRT’s broader coverage standards.

“I’ve been saying since the cup started, there’s a disgraceful choice of commentators,” one viewer posted on X. Another wrote: “TRT is giving a really poor performance in the World Cup, even inserting ads during water breaks.”

Not everyone joined the pile-on. Beyaz TV commentator Ertem Sener publicly defended his colleague, drawing a distinction between a professional error and a personal failing.

“My colleague made a mistake, yes, but the utterly outrageous personal insults directed at him are deeply upsetting to me,” Sener wrote. “He has a family. Murat didn’t commit a shameful crime; he made a professional mistake.”

The incident has reignited debate in Turkey about the pressures facing live commentators on the world’s biggest footballing stage, as well as the standards expected of public broadcasters during major international tournaments.