England coach has an urgent request
“I beg FIFA”: Tuchel’s request has consequences
Updated June 19, 2026 – 12:27 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Hearing the English national anthem at the first World Cup game: Thomas Tuchel had been looking forward to this for a long time. But then he looked at a photographer’s “wall”. Now there is a change.
Thomas Tuchel celebrated a successful debut in the English national team’s 4-2 win against Croatia World Cup. For the 52-year-old, the first World Cup game of his coaching career was a special moment.
At the same time, Tuchel criticized the events before kick-off. “I’m begging FIFA to change the position of photographers during the national anthems,” he said after the Three Lions’ opening win at Dallas Stadium.
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The reason: “It was a very special moment and I stood in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a meter away, and I couldn’t see a single player,” said Tuchel. “And that kind of ruined the experience a little bit.”
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Tuchel’s anger was apparently worth it. Trainers should be at the WM will in future have a clear view of their players during the national anthem. Fifa has found a compromise for the affected games in stadiums with limited space.
According to information from the German Press Agency, photographers will remain in their current position in the future, but will move a little closer together. The coaching staff can therefore position themselves slightly along the sidelines to the left and right during the national anthem and would then no longer have a photographer directly in front of them. The English media had previously reported unanimously about the adjustment. “Another victory for England’s coach,” cheered The Times.