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State-owned Turkish broadcaster TRT has removed commentator Murat Ekrem Cimen from its 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast team after he mixed up Iran and New Zealand during the opening minutes of their match.
The error took place during the Iran-New Zealand game on Monday. In the opening minutes of the broadcast, Cimen reportedly referred to Iran's attacks as New Zealand's moves, while New Zealand's chances were presented as if they belonged to Iran.
The confusion lasted for the opening minutes of the match, disrupting the flow of play for viewers watching the broadcast on TRT.
The commentary was corrected after Iran forward Mehdi Taremi appeared on screen, allowing the match narration to switch back to the correct team identifications. However, the error quickly drew criticism from football viewers.
In a written statement, TRT apologized to viewers and the public, saying the error during the Iran-New Zealand broadcast was "unacceptable under TRT broadcasting standards."
The broadcaster said administrative and inspection processes had been started immediately, adding that the mistake did not line up with TRT Spor's long-standing broadcasting experience and quality standards.
TRT also said the commentator had been pulled out of the World Cup broadcast team in the United States during the review process and would not continue covering the tournament.
The statement underlined that a mistake by a commentator with more than 30 years of sports broadcasting experience was unacceptable for TRT, adding that the broadcaster would not overlook any practice that went against its standards in major national and international events.
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