Why some Turks no longer rally behind their national soccer team
World Cup 2018 fever has gone cold in Turkey, as Turks are too polarized to cheer in unison for their national team.
If you think Turkish domestic politics are complicated, challenge yourself to detangle the politics of soccer in Turkey. Turkish interest in its national pastime of soccer is in sharp decline. Stadiums used to be filled with at least 30,000 fans for a game. Now most games can barely bring in crowds up to 4,000. During national games, most fans would rather chat about the team’s technical director on social media than watch the game.
Although there were years of financial troubles, violence and vandalism during and after games, match-fixing troubles and Passolig — a mandatory, e-ticketing system that allows the government to monitor fans — the national team always generated interest, even from those who do not follow soccer. So why are Turkish fans now turning their back on their team?
