FIFA President Gianni Infantino announces new national anthem protocol for 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup is already gearing up to be a historic, groundbreaking event. Hosted across three nations—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—the tournament will feature an expanded field of 48 teams for the very first time, resulting in an unprecedented 104 matches.

With North America setting the stage for significant structural changes, FIFA is also introducing fresh on-pitch regulations, alongisde new rules. President Gianni Infantino officially confirmed that a completely redesigned protocol will be implemented during the traditional pre-match national anthems.

Under the new guidelines, all players—including the starting eleven and substitutes—alongside the match officials, will gather inside the center circle for a 360-degree ceremony, where the two teams and the referees will stand directly facing one another.

“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,” Infantino announced via a post on his official Instagram account.

Creating more engagement with the spectators

Infantino is determined to make this edition of the World Cup entirely different from its predecessors. A core objective of the new layout is to integrate the fans in the stands directly into the pre-match spectacle, making them an active part of the stadium atmosphere.

“We will have a redesigned 360-degree ceremony which engages every fan in the stadium, including country flag banners and on-pitch elements oriented to create a unique, immersive experience from every seat,” the FIFA President wrote.

The fan experience will be further bolstered by a wave of new pre-game aesthetics on the turf. “As well as new visual elements – from player entry arches to handheld flags – poised to heighten the sense of anticipation, with enhanced features for selected matches,” Infantino concluded.