14.06.2026 06:40
Citizens in Istanbul filled the squares to support the National Football Team. Football fans, who flocked to mosques in their jerseys for morning prayer, then began waiting for match time with soup, tea, and simit distributed afterwards.
Citizens in Istanbul flocked to the squares to support the Turkish National Football Team, which will face Australia in its first match of Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
THEY WENT TO MORNING PRAYER IN JERSEYS
Citizens who wanted to take their places in front of the giant screens set up in the squares, holding Turkish flags, hit the roads in the early hours of the morning. Many citizens, wearing their crescent-star jerseys, joined the morning prayer in their jerseys. After the prayer, football fans came to the specially prepared platforms. Citizens filled the areas where municipalities offered treats such as soup, tea, and simit, and together they waited for the match's start time.
''I WOKE UP AT 4:00 AM AND CAME''
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality also set up giant screens at the Üsküdar coastline, Eminönü, and Beylikdüzü Metrobus Squares, sharing the excitement of the national match with citizens. After performing the morning prayer at the Great Çamlıca Mosque, the Üsküdar Mufti's Office distributed soup and simit to those who wanted to watch the match at the 1071 Conference Hall. In Bahçelievler, citizens who wanted to watch the national team's match came to the Government House early in the morning.
Citizen Bünyamin Köseoğlu, expressing his excitement to the AA correspondent, said, "After 24 years, I wanted to experience this excitement here. I'm excited, inshallah we will win. I couldn't sleep from excitement. I woke up at 4:00 AM and came."
PRAYERS WERE OFFERED DURING MORNING PRAYER
Citizens wanting to enter the area allocated by the Ümraniye Municipality at the City Square formed long queues. Prayers for the national team were offered during the morning prayer at the Ümraniye Medina Mosque. Citizen Ramazan Akdoğan stated that he had the opportunity to watch the national team in the World Cup for the second time in his life. Noting that everyone heartily said "amen" to the prayers, Akdoğan said, "Inshallah, even if we don't become champions, we will at least come third." Parents and students of Ümraniye Halkbank Secondary School also gathered in the schoolyard after the morning prayer to watch the match. The municipalities of Bağcılar, Şişli, Beşiktaş, Beykoz, Kadıköy, and Maltepe also set up giant screens at the coastlines and district squares, offering various treats to citizens. Minutes before the match started, all corners of Istanbul were virtually clad in red and white.