Thomas Tuchel won his first battle at the 2026 World Cup before his team even kicked a ball. The England head coach successfully lobbied FIFA to relocate photographers who were obstructing his view during the national anthems ahead of England’s opening match against Croatia.
The incident took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where Tuchel was making his debut as England manager on the World Cup stage. England went on to win that match 4-2.
A wall of cameras, half a meter away
Tuchel described the scene in blunt terms. He said he stood just “half a meter away” from what he called “a wall of 50 photographers” during the national anthem, unable to see any of his players.
“I’m begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers.”
