Czech Republic flag swallows pitch worker during World Cup anthem ceremony

A pitch worker was swallowed whole by a giant Czech Republic flag during the pre-match ceremony ahead of the country’s 1-1 draw with South Korea at the 2026 World Cup, providing one of the tournament’s more memorable moments of unintentional comedy at Estadio Akron in Zapopan.

Every match at this World Cup opens with both squads gathered around the centre circle while enormous national flags — large enough to cover half a pitch — are displayed behind them. Once the anthems conclude, a line of crew members grabs one end of each flag and runs across its surface, folding it in half and then half again before rolling it up and carrying it away.

The process works smoothly when everyone keeps pace. When someone falls behind or trips, however, the flag folds over them before their colleagues have a chance to notice — which is precisely what happened here. Video of the incident, shared widely on social media, shows the hapless worker disappearing beneath the blue, red and white fabric as the crowd at Estadio Akron erupted in laughter.

The moment drew inevitable comparisons to the Tarp Monster, a beloved piece of folklore among fans of MLB’s Cincinnati Reds, where the tarpaulin used to protect the infield during rain delays has a long and storied history of claiming unsuspecting ground staff.

The Czech Republic and South Korea finished level at 1-1 in the Group E fixture on 19 June 2026, though for at least one member of the matchday crew, the scoreline was almost certainly a secondary concern.