The Turkey national football team is facing a referee crisis. FIFA announced the referees for the 2026 World Cup, but no Turkish referees made the list.

Reasons for the Referee Crisis

The criteria used by the FIFA Referees Committee, such as merit, international stability, and performance in continental tournaments, were the main reasons for the exclusion of Turkish referees. The limited number of matches played by Turkish referees in top-level competitions like the UEFA Champions League and Europa League in recent years was considered insufficient for a global tournament like the World Cup.

The Void Left by Cüneyt Çakır

After Cüneyt Çakır's retirement from active refereeing, the TFF was unable to produce a new referee to reach the same level. Çakır's personal reputation and elite referee status in UEFA were individual achievements rather than a result of the local system.

No Turkish Referee in VAR

One of the most notable details in FIFA's 170-person list is the absence of a Turkish referee in the 30-person Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team. While physical conditioning and stress management are crucial for on-field refereeing, the lack of Turkish referees in the VAR system, which relies on technical knowledge and technology, suggests that the quality of VAR applications in the Süper Lig is below international standards.

Upcoming Match

The Turkey national football team will face the USA at home on 2026-06-26.

TeamOpponentDate
Turkey national football teamUSA2026-06-26