It is one of the most emotional moments in all of sport, players standing shoulder to shoulder, hand on heart, as their national anthem plays before a World Cup match.
In 2026, FIFA has made sure every single player on the squad feels that moment, not just the starting eleven.
FIFA announced that all players – including the substitute – in their respective matchday squads will gather around the centre circle for the national anthems.
The ceremony will also see each country’s flag on display.
Shift from the norm
For years, substitutes and squad players watched the anthem from the dugout, close enough to hear the music but far enough from the action to feel like spectators at their own tournament.
That changes in 2026. Every player named in the matchday squad will stand on the pitch, in the centre circle, as their flag is raised and their anthem plays.
It is a small change with a huge emotional weight.
For the substitute who has spent years working toward this moment, who may never get a single minute on the pitch, standing under the floodlights during their country’s anthem is the kind of memory that lasts a lifetime.
A new World Cup tradition is coming. 🏆✨
FIFA has confirmed a revamped pre-match ceremony, with all players and substitutes lining up around the centre circle during the national anthems, alongside giant country flags and new visual displays before kickoff.
The new format is… pic.twitter.com/ENWH7jqqZS
— Brila Media (@Brilamedia) June 8, 2026
It is the kind of detail that separates a good tournament from an unforgettable one.
Also read: Why Christian Eriksen Collapsed Five Years After Euro 2020 Cardiac Arrest
The 2026 World Cup is already the biggest in history, with 48 teams, 104 matches, and three host nations spread across an entire continent.
The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the last act of a tournament that begins in just three days.
With this change, FIFA is making sure that when that final whistle blows on July 19, every player who made the journey, starter or substitute, can say they stood on that pitch and heard their anthem.
That they were part of it.
Three days to kick-off. The greatest show on earth is almost here.
