Turkey Bans Public Screens for Football Match Due to University Exams

Turkey's Interior Ministry has issued a directive to all 81 provincial governorships, prohibiting the setup of large public screens for the upcoming national football match. This decision comes in light of the High Education Institutions Examination (YKS), scheduled for June 20-21, 2026, which requires a quiet and conducive environment for the millions of students participating.

The ministry's instruction aims to prevent potential disruptions, specifically noise pollution and traffic congestion, that could negatively impact students' preparation and concentration during the critical exam period. The directive mandates that no large screens be erected in public spaces, such as squares or streets, for the broadcast of the national team's match against Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

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All necessary measures for security, traffic, and noise control around the examination buildings will be meticulously implemented.

Following the Interior Ministry's announcement, several municipalities have already canceled their planned public viewing events. Cities including İzmir, Samsun, Denizli, and Uşak have officially announced the cancellation of their dev screen (large screen) broadcasts. These cancellations are intended to ensure students can spend their time before and during the exams in a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi also provided details on exam security, stating that 44,886 personnel and 6,907 support teams will be deployed across 11,883 schools nationwide. He emphasized that all necessary measures for security, traffic management, and noise control around the examination centers would be meticulously implemented for the 2,425,560 candidates. The ministry assured that all preparations for the exam are complete.

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The ministry's instruction aims to prevent potential disruptions, specifically noise pollution and traffic congestion, that could negatively impact students' preparation and concentration during the critical exam period.