ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Turkish-American business owners in metro Atlanta are navigating divided loyalties Thursday night as Turkey and the United States face off in the final match of the group stage.
Kemal Aytac, owner of Cafe Istanbul in Sandy Springs, said the matchup presents an emotional challenge.
“My heart is half Turkey, half America,” said Aytac, who for decades has served metro Atlanta customers at his restaurant on Roswell Road.
His son, Bijan, is also caught between the two nations he loves.
“I’m wearing a Turkey jersey but of course I love both the United States and Turkey; I could never pick between,” Bijan said.
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At Cafe Istanbul and other Turkish restaurants across the metro area, screens are tuned to the match. The restaurants are packed with fans singing national anthems and cheering for their respective countries.
“It’s getting crazy. Fans, everybody is singing their own anthems. They’re screaming political, nothing nationalist, just for fun, for supporting the sport,” one patron said.
Turkey has struggled in the tournament so far. Umut Canaslan, who works at his family’s Milton restaurant Ephesus, said he expects the team to lose again tonight.
Despite the competitive stakes, the atmosphere in Turkish-American restaurants remains celebratory rather than contentious. Bijan said the mixed customer base creates a unique environment.
“I feel like it’s special, especially here, because we have a lot of American and Turkish customers, so they’re both going to come together and we’re all going to watch together,” he said. “There’s no hatred or nothing, it’s all for good fun and we all just want to see a good game in the end.”
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