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The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has announced a new pre-match ceremony format for the 2026 World Cup that will involve all players called in a matchday squad rather than only the starting line-ups.
The new format marks a departure from the traditional World Cup pre-match routine, where only the starting 11 players from each team line up near the centre of the pitch before kick-off.
Under the arrangement, every player in both teams’ matchday squads will walk onto the pitch through a dedicated arch, accompanied by youth escorts, before assembling around the centre circle for the national anthems.
FIFA said large national flag banners will also be displayed on either side of the pitch during the ceremony. In a statement, FIFA said the initiative would allow all players selected for a match to share in the experience of representing their countries on football’s biggest stage.
“The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan, and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement on Thursday.
He added that having all players and referees face one another during the national anthems would create “a moment of unity, pride and emotion.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The tournament will also be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format.
