Turkey's World Cup Struggles: Time for Another Rebrand?

When Turkey officially became Türkiye in 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared the new name was 'the best representation and expression of the Turkish people’s culture, civilisation, and values.' But as Selim Koru of the Foreign Policy Research Institute pointed out, there was a less lofty reason: the association with the bird genuinely annoyed Erdoğan and his circle. Even state broadcaster TRT conceded that the loose-necked Christmas bird was at least a factor in the revamp.

The rebrand that wasn't enough

Rebranding a nation is no small feat, but for Turkish football fans, the change felt cosmetic. While the name on the map shifted, the national team’s fortunes on the pitch remained stubbornly unchanged. Turkey failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a tournament that saw the likes of Morocco and Croatia make deep runs. For a country that reached the semi-finals in 2002 and the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, this was a bitter pill to swallow.

The squad, featuring talents like Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Burak Yılmaz, had the raw ingredients to compete. Yet, inconsistent performances in qualifying — including a shock defeat to Latvia — left them watching from home. The rebrand, it seems, did little to inspire a turnaround.

Missing the big stage

Turkey’s absence from the World Cup is symptomatic of deeper issues. The domestic league, Süper Lig, is known for its passionate fans and high-profile imports, but it has struggled to produce a consistent pipeline of homegrown talent. Meanwhile, the national team has cycled through managers, with Stefan Kuntz now at the helm. The result is a team that often looks disjointed, lacking the tactical coherence seen in other rising football nations.

The rebrand to Türkiye might have been a PR win, but it hasn’t addressed the structural problems in Turkish football. As Football Daily readers have noted in other contexts, sometimes the focus on superficial changes can distract from what really matters on the pitch. (And yes, a prolate spheroid — not an egg — is the correct term for a rugby ball.)

What it means

For Turkey, the path forward requires more than a name change. They need a rebrand of their football philosophy — from youth development to tactical identity. The next World Cup cycle is already underway, and with the 2030 tournament co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, Turkey will need to prove they belong on the biggest stage. A name alone won't get them there. But with the right focus, Türkiye could yet become a force to be reckoned with.