There’s a lot going on on the pitch: At the World Cup, for the first time, the substitute players will be on the pitch when the national anthems are played – accompanied by children and young people as well as smoke and fireworks.
As the world association FIFA announced, the ceremony before the games will be revised on the occasion of the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada. “All players in the matchday squad will be in the spotlight”FIFA announced: “During the national anthems, all 26 players from each team gather around the banner in the center circle so that each and every one of them – not just the starting eleven – can experience this symbolic moment of pride and emotion as they represent their country on the biggest football stage in the world.”
Colored smoke and pyrotechnics
The aim of the innovation is also to involve the fans in the stadiums even better. The players are accompanied by children and young people as they enter the pitch. Large country flags as well as other small national flags, banners and the FIFA logo should be visible on the field. As the world association stated in its announcement, the ceremony will take place later in the tournament “additional elements such as colored smoke or pyrotechnics” be expanded.
Team photo only with the starting eleven
The substitute players are no longer on the field for the handshake of the captains and the team photo of the starting eleven.
The tournament in Mexico, Canada and the USA begins on Thursday (June 11, 2026) with the opening game between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City (9 p.m. CEST). Germany will play against Curaçao for the first time on June 14th in Houston at 7 p.m. CEST.