Pennants Made from Grandmother's Sewn Bedsheets Hang in the Stands

In Kocaeli, football fan Sertan Güner is bringing color to the stands by turning bedsheets sewn by his grandmother into banners. A Kocaelispor supporter and 25-year-old social media content creator, Güner started on this work after banners he made 1.5 years ago to support his team drew attention on social media.

Nuran Balıkçı, 73, wants to support her grandson and is sewing the bedsheets for the banners on a sewing machine she has had since her youth. Güner then turns the sheets into banners in his room at home. His designs include players' names, team colors, symbols and various messages.

Working on requests from fans of teams across Türkiye, mainly in the Süper Lig but also in other leagues, Güner sends the banners he makes with his childhood friend Mecit Bayrak's designs to every corner of the country through social media.

Güner partnered with the Turkish national football team on banners for its 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations and brought to the stands the names of 26 national team players for whom he designed special banners. The banners he displayed at the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and France, played at Kocaeli Stadium on September 25, also caught fans' attention. Güner said that his national team banners and the videos he filmed of the players have helped him reach a wide audience, and that comments from national players such as Altay Bayındır, Zeki Çelik and Kaan Ayhan have increased interest.