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New national anthem rule for 2026 World Cup
PRINT ALL READINGS (PDF)2026 FIFA World Cup - Level 0
There is a change to national anthems at the World Cup. FIFA said that for the first time, all players in the squads will sing their anthem. FIFA said this will make the experience better. FIFA said the World Cup is about every player and fan, and the new ceremony will make them more excited.
FIFA said all players singing will improve the pre-match atmosphere. FIFA said having players face each other in the centre circle will create pride in the teams and fans. Other parts of the ceremony stay the same. Team captains will still toss a coin. Players will also still shake hands with players from the other team.
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2026 FIFA World Cup - Level 1
There is a change to how teams sing national anthems at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA announced the change. For the first time, all players in the squads will sing their anthem. FIFA's president said that as the World Cup grows, FIFA will continue to improve how the game is experienced. He said the pre-match ceremony is one improvement. He added that the World Cup is about every player and fan, and the new ceremony shows that.
FIFA said all players singing will improve the pre-match atmosphere. All squad members will stand around the centre circle and sing. FIFA said having players face each other in the centre circle will create pride in the teams and fans in the stadium. Other parts of the ceremony stay the same. Team captains will still toss a coin. Players from each team will also still shake hands with players from the other team.
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Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
2026 FIFA World Cup - Level 2
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There has been a change to how teams sing national anthems at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA, the organization that runs the World Cup, announced the change. For the first time in World Cup history, all of the players in the squads will sing their anthem. FIFA's president commented on the change. 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 that the World Cup is about every player and fan, and the new pre-match ceremony shows that.
FIFA said more players singing will add to the pre-match atmosphere. All squad members will stand around the centre circle and sing their anthem. FIFA said: "Having all players and referees face each other in the centre circle during the national anthems will create a moment of… emotion that truly belongs to the teams and to everyone in the stadium." Other parts of the game stay the same. Team captains will still toss a coin and exchange pennants. Players from each team will also shake hands with players from the other team.
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Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
2026 FIFA World Cup - Level 3
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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