A mock up of how the new pre-match ceremony will look for the tournament's opening game between Mexico and South Africa FIFAJune 4, 2026 Updated 5:34 pm EDT
FIFA has announced a new pre-game ceremony for the World Cup that will see all the players included in a matchday squad line up around the centre circle before the national anthems are played.
The ceremony will also include extra-large country flag banners and the players will enter the pitch through a dedicated arch closest to the tunnel.FIFA’s new approach to the pre-match ceremony means that even the substitutes will be lining up on the pitch before the game kicks off.This follows on from last year’s Club World Cup, which was hosted in the U.S., where FIFA adopted an NBA-style walkout, with the player’s name being read out as they emerged from the tunnel.Although the players will not have their names read out individually at this summer’s finals, the plan is for them to be escorted onto the pitch by children.FIFA says the idea behind the new walkout ceremony is for everyone inside the stadium to have a 360-degree view of what is going on.Once the national anthems have been played, the traditional pre-match rituals will commence, which includes handshakes and team photos of the starting XI.The captains of each side will then proceed to the coin toss.FIFA has also announced that as the World Cup progresses, the pre-match ceremony will introduce new elements such as coloured smoke and pyrotechnics.“As the FIFA World Cup grows, we continue to innovate the way the game is experienced,” Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, said in a statement.“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.“The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan, and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that.”Jun 4, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
