TRT drops commentator after Iran-New Zealand mix-up

A veteran Turkish sports commentator has been removed from his duties at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after confusing the national teams of Iran and New Zealand during a live broadcast of their group-stage match. The incident occurred during the opening minutes of the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw on Monday night at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The commentator, Murat Ekrem Cimen, incorrectly identified the teams for approximately four minutes, describing Iran's attacks as New Zealand's and vice versa. This happened despite a clear visual contrast on the pitch, with Iran wearing white and New Zealand in black. Footage of the error quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread criticism and mockery from viewers.

In response, Turkish state broadcaster TRT issued a statement late Tuesday announcing Cimen's immediate withdrawal from the World Cup broadcast team in the United States. He will not commentate on any remaining matches for the duration of the tournament. The broadcaster apologized to viewers and called the mistake unacceptable, particularly for someone with over 30 years of experience in sports broadcasting. TRT stated it has launched an investigation into the incident.