Turkey seeks rebrand after disappointing World Cup performance

The Guardian Sport2 min read • Latest: Jun 20, 2026, 1:22 PM

Last updated Jun 20, 2026

Turkey seeks rebrand after disappointing World Cup performance
Summary

Turkey recently adopted the name Türkiye in an effort to better reflect its culture, as stated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This rebranding coincided with a disappointing World Cup campaign, where expectations were not met. Analysts suggest that the name change also stems from frustration over associations with certain birds, impacting public perception. The Turkish administration's commitment to this identity shift emphasizes a desire for improvement in future competitions.

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By the Numbers
  • Turkey changed its name to Türkiye in 2022.
  • The rebrand was part of an initiative to reshape cultural representation.
  • Erdoğan expressed annoyance with the association of the previous name.
  • Turkey's World Cup results did not meet expectations.
  • The shift aims to improve Turkey's global sports presence.
Latest Updates
  • 1:22 PMThe Guardian SportFootball Daily | Turkey need another rebrand after failing to take flight at World Cup
What they're saying
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Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! When Turkey changed to Türkiye in 2022, president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced it was because the new name was “the best representation and expression of the Turkish people’s culture, civilisation, and values.” The rebrand, though, also had a less lofty reason. “The association with the bird genuinely annoys Erdoğan and the people around him,” explained Selim Koru of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, while even state broadcaster TRT conceded that the loose-necked Christmas bird was at least a factor in the revamp. When did it become a thing for the refereeing team to have their names on the backs of their shirts? I’m amazed that Fifa isn’t looking to cash in by selling replicas” – Phil Taverner. Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. Please, up your game! Australian rules football and American football do not play with anything egg-shaped. It’s a prolate spheroid. How different the game would be (could it even exist?) if it were” – Kate Clements. Re: Trevor Wastell and US commentary (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). I am lucky to speak Spanish but, even if I did not, anyone who would watch football in the USA USA USA (or anywhere else) in any other language is off their rocker. Also, one needs only the barest anglicised Spanglish to get the gist. Luckily for United Statesians, Peacock TV are showing my home nation’s characteristic enthusiasm for multilingual audiences, with the basic subscription having thrown in streaming of every GWC partido en Español, much like they would reruns of ‘Betty la Fea’ or ‘María la del Barrio’. I almost hear NBC suits saying: ‘Who would be watching this? I can’t even understand it!’ Highly recommended” – Thad Brown. This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

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