New national anthem rule for 2026 World Cup
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There has been a last-minute change to how teams sing their national anthems at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA, the organization that runs the World Cup, announced the change last week. It said that for the first time in World Cup history, all of the players in the squads will come onto the pitch to sing their anthem. FIFA president Gianni Infantino commented on the change to the national anthem ceremony. He said: "As the FIFA World Cup grows, we continue to innovate the way the game is experienced. The pre-match ceremonies… will be no different." He added: "The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that."
FIFA said more players will have a role in adding to the pre-match atmosphere. In the new ceremony, all squad members will stand around the centre circle and sing their national anthem. Mr Infantino said: "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." Other parts of the pre-game ceremony remain unchanged. Team captains will still participate in the coin toss and exchange pennants with the opposing captain. Another tradition kept for the 2026 tournament is players from each team shaking hands with players from the other team.
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