19.06.2026 08:20
During the Canada - Qatar match, TRT mistook a stoppage due to injury for a water break and went to commercial. Shortly after returning to the broadcast, the referee called an actual water break, leading to a second commercial break, leaving viewers bewildered by the confusion.
TRT, the Turkish broadcaster of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has once again made headlines due to a broadcast error. Following a commentary mix-up in the Iran - New Zealand match, a water break confusion occurred during the Canada vs. Qatar game.
MISTAKING IT FOR A WATER BREAK, THEY WENT TO COMMERCIALS
In the 22nd minute of the match, a Qatari player was injured in his own penalty area. While the referee called for medical teams, the broadcast assumed a water break was taking place and switched to commercials. However, when it was soon realized that the game had continued, TRT hastily returned to the broadcast after about 1.5 minutes.
THE REAL WATER BREAK CAME A MINUTE LATER
When the broadcast resumed, the announcer stated that the referee had called a water break. However, about a minute after this return, the referee actually signaled a water break. TRT then switched to commercial broadcast once again.
VIEWERS EXPERIENCED CONFUSION
Due to the consecutive broadcast transitions, football fans following the match struggled to understand what was happening. TRT had also faced criticism shortly before for a commentary error during the Iran - New Zealand World Cup match.