FIFA revamps World Cup 2026 anthem ceremony to include all squad members

FIFA has overhauled the pre-match ceremony for the 2026 World Cup, requiring all squad members — not only the starting eleven — to stand together around the centre circle banner during national anthems, the governing body confirmed ahead of the tournament’s opening week.

Under the previous format, substitutes and unused squad players watched the anthem ritual from the touchline. The new arrangement brings every selected player and the match officials into the centre of the pitch, a change FIFA says is designed to maximise the sense of pride and unity for those representing their country on the sport’s biggest stage.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino explained the thinking behind the change: “Having all players and referees face each other in the centre circle during the national anthems will create a moment of unity, pride and emotion that truly belongs to the teams and to everyone in the stadium.”

The ceremony has also been reframed around a “360-degree concept” intended to give equal visual value to every seat in the stadium. Extra-large national flag banners will cover almost half the pitch — a staging approach that draws comparisons with the way the US flag has been displayed at NFL games in recent years. Additional on-pitch elements include player entry arches and handheld flags, with enhanced features planned for selected fixtures.

Infantino added: “The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan, and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that.”

The traditional rituals that follow the anthems remain intact: handshakes, team photographs of the starting line-ups, and the captains’ coin toss are all retained. Matches deeper into the knockout rounds will see coloured smoke or pyrotechnics incorporated into the pre-match build-up.

The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and is the first edition to feature 48 nations.