Turkey’s Interior Ministry has ordered governors across the country not to allow the installation of giant public screens for the national team’s World Cup match against Paraguay, citing the need to minimize noise and traffic disruption during university entrance exams.
Local authorities previously planned to broadcast Turkey’s Group D match against Paraguay on Saturday on large outdoor screens in a number of cities.
The ministry’s directive, issued ahead of the Higher Education Institutions (YKS) exam taking place this weekend, has prompted local municipalities to cancel big-screen broadcasts.
The match is scheduled for Saturday morning at 6:00 am local time.
Authorities say the measure should ensure that students taking the exam are not adversely affected by noise pollution or increased traffic congestion.
The YKS is Turkey’s national university entrance exam and is taken annually by hundreds of thousands of students seeking admission to higher education institutions.
Football is hugely popular in the country of 86 million, with the team playing in the World Cup for the first time since finishing third in 2002.
Turkey faces a battle to reach the knockout stages after being defeated 2-0 by Australia in the opening match, in a group that also includes the United States.
The match against Australia was broadcast on big screens in Istanbul and elsewhere on June 15, drawing large crowds that filled parks as well as an ancient amphitheater in the southern province of Antalya.
Published on June 19, 2026
