The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus took its place at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Traditional Archery Championship in Ulsan, South Korea. In the parade of nations, the TRNC delegation walked behind a sign reading "Northern Cyprus" in English and "북키프로스" in Korean, unfurling a large TRNC flag as it greeted the arena.
Delegation members wore fur hats, embroidered kaftans and traditional dress. Waving small TRNC flags, the archers and officials drew the attention of spectators and cameras throughout the ceremony.
Organised by the World Traditional Archery Federation, the championship runs in Ulsan from 30 October to 4 November. Around 700 archers from some 38 countries are expected to take part, with Turkey represented by its national traditional archery team.
The TRNC is recognised only by Turkey, and its sport has faced international isolation for many years. Seeing the country's name and flag in the same parade as other nations at a world championship opening in South Korea therefore carries special meaning for TRNC sport and the public.
Traditional archery has deep roots in Turkish culture, and the delegation's appearance in Ulsan in traditional dress also stood out as a representation of that heritage on an international stage.
Competition continues until 4 November. Kıbrıs Akış will follow the TRNC team's results.
