Armenian expert says Turkey's football promo reflects authoritarian drift

A promotional video for Turkey’s national football team has sparked debate, with Armenian security expert Varuzhan Geghamyan saying it underscores the ruling party’s growing influence over sports and society.

Writing on social media on Saturday, Geghamyan observed that the video, released ahead of Turkey’s opening World Cup match against Australia, was produced by the ruling party but presented under the Turkish Football Federation’s name. He said this amounts to political advertising disguised as sports promotion.

The scholar noted that the production resembles campaign-style material praising President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, portraying the national team as symbolically tied to him. “It is a vivid manifestation of an authoritarian system,” Geghamyan wrote.

The video also features military imagery — tanks, fighter jets, and weapons — alongside football scenes. Geghamyan argued this reflects Turkey’s increasing militarization, where even sports are framed through a security lens.

“These internal Turkish debates would not matter much to us if they didn’t reveal the direction of the Turkish state,” he explained, adding that such materials help researchers understand Turkey’s contemporary dynamics and possible future trends.