Hamdi Ulukaya: Fenerbahçe reintroduced me to my homeland

Hamdi Ulukaya, who is closely following the matches of both the Turkish National Soccer Team and the U.S. team—which his company sponsors—at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, answered questions from an AA reporter in Los Angeles.

Ulukaya emphasized that his sponsorship agreement with Fenerbahçe is very important to him, saying, “My heart skips a beat when I see the Chobani name at the stadium. Fenerbahçe is a gift I gave to my childhood. Fenerbahçe and the national team are very emotional for me. When we were growing up in Erzincan, there was a Fenerbahçe that we carried in our hearts. Now, seeing the Chobani name at that stadium is a very different feeling. I go there with my children; ever since they were born, their jerseys would arrive every six months, and now ‘Chobani’ is written on them. Anything can happen in this life. The best part of life is that it’s full of surprises. Being born and raised in a small town in Erzincan, coming to America, and then finding a place at Fenerbahçe with Chobani is a very special feeling. There’s another side to this as well. There’s a unique joy in returning to my homeland through Fenerbahçe. I returned to Turkey with Fenerbahçe, at President Ali’s invitation. After Fenerbahçe, other things started happening; we began settling there, and my children started going back and forth to my hometown. Now I’m going to Erzincan. That’s the beautiful part of it—Fenerbahçe has reconnected me with my homeland,” he said.

Ulukaya, emphasizing that he has been closely following the World Cup matches, said, “I watched the national team’s matches in the U.S. Of course, there’s a sense of disappointment. We were eagerly awaiting the national team’s arrival here. But this World Cup has a wonderful atmosphere. Everyone is supporting their teams. During our matches, everyone turned the streets red. Scores are, of course, very important, but the atmosphere and vibe here are a joy in their own right,” he explained.

'THE BEAUTY OF SOCCER'

Ulukaya, who named the U.S. as his favorite in the World Cup, noted that Chobani, the company he founded, has been the food sponsor of the U.S. National Soccer Team for many years.

Pointing out that the U.S. topped its group, Ulukaya said, “Now there’s the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16. Both of those matches will be on the U.S. West Coast. France also looks very strong. My wife is French, and I’ve been to two of their matches. Look at Cape Verde—they’re pulling off some surprises. There are also some unfortunate surprises, like the ones that happened to us. Anything can happen at the World Cup. We sponsored the opening of the ‘Turkish Vibe Zone’ in Los Angeles, and we’re also a sponsor of the U.S. team. I have three jerseys at home: one for Turkey, one for the U.S., and one for France. That’s the beauty of soccer. The best part of soccer is that it brings people together. “Every time we go to a match, fans sit side by side cheering for their countries. On top of that, such a wonderful atmosphere is created—it’s like a festival. It creates an environment where humanity comes together to celebrate,” he remarked.

Ulukaya emphasized that the Turkish National Soccer Team’s early elimination from the World Cup surprised both him and the entire world, saying, “Such a great team, with quality players… They were completely shut down in the match against Paraguay in San Francisco. The stress and pressure of the situation also played a role. The players gave it their all; they played with a one-sided attack for 90 minutes and put their hearts on the line. But that’s soccer. I watched the Turkish National Team for the first time this year in Istanbul against Romania. All of our players are excellent. I can’t single anyone out. Every player on the Turkish National Team is a star.”

'MY SUPPORT FOR FENERBAHÇE IS UNCONDITIONAL'

Hamdi Ulukaya, who mentioned that he met with Aziz Yıldırım—who took the presidential seat at Fenerbahçe’s extraordinary general assembly—after the election, said he would attend the yellow-and-navy team’s matches next season.

Emphasizing that he would travel to Istanbul at the first opportunity, Ulukaya said, “When I go to Istanbul, I will visit Chobani Stadium to meet with President Aziz and the management. We are Fenerbahçe’s sponsor. I am a fan, and whoever Fenerbahçe chooses, we will support them. Our support for Fenerbahçe is unconditional,” he said.

Expressing his belief that Fenerbahçe will win the championship this season, Ulukaya said, “A great sense of unity has been formed. Coach İsmail has joined us. There will be good signings as well. President Aziz knows what he’s doing. The important thing is for all of us to stick together. Fenerbahçe is a very emotional place—it’s like our national team. If we’re all united, Fenerbahçe’s path will open up. The most important thing is being a team. Of course, the players are important, but if you can be a team, the rest will follow. If the fans and the entire Fenerbahçe community are united as well, that makes it even more significant. I’m in favor of building a good team rather than relying on too many star players. Of course, star players do have an impact.”