FIFA reforms ceremony at the 2026 World Cup: All 26 players to stand on the pitch during national anthems

The teams will continue to be accompanied by children and young people during the entry. However, substitute players will not be on the pitch for the guard of honor, the team photo of the starting eleven, or the traditional handshake between the two captains. This means that this part of the protocol remains unchanged, while the anthem phase is being redesigned.

Visual innovations on the pitch

According to FIFA, the pre-match ceremony will be enriched by a series of additional visual elements, "including a banner in the center circle, small national flags, and the characteristic FIFA logo on the pitch." During the tournament, the program is to be "expanded with additional elements such as colored smoke or pyrotechnics." The association did not initially provide details on the frequency and occasions for these expanded show elements.

The tournament begins next Thursday with the opening match between co-host Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City. The 2026 World Cup is being jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the USA and is the first World Cup with 48 participating teams. A total of 104 matches will be played in the three host countries.

Schedule: The first matches at a glance

For the German team, the tournament begins on June 14 in Houston against Curaçao. The German team is among the favorites for the title, even though the FIFA innovation is likely to change the procedures on the pitch. When exactly each player belongs to the starting eleven will be decided by the coaches shortly before kick-off, as before.

The tournament is also drawing closer for the Austrian national team. Austria will play its opening match in Group J on June 17 against Jordan. The match will kick off at 6:00 AM and will be broadcast live on ORF1.

Background: Appreciation for the entire squad

By including all squad players, FIFA is responding to a debate that has been ongoing for years about the appreciation of substitute players. In major tournaments like a World Cup, a large part of the squad belongs to the extended selection and often watches the games from the bench. With this innovation, the world governing body apparently wants to enable a more inclusive appearance of the teams.

Criticism of the reform has not yet become public. However, if the additional ceremony significantly prolongs the pre-kick-off proceedings, discontent could arise among clubs, players, and spectators. Observers are now awaiting the first appearance on the opening evening in Mexico City to see how those involved will adopt the new ritual.