sports
Huge flags and pyrotechnics with World Cup anthems
Key takeaways
- Fifa Image caption, The opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa will be the debut of the new ceremony for national anthems
- Football issues correspondent Published50 minutes ago Fifa has unveiled what it describes as a new "unique, immersive experience" pre-match ceremony for all matches at the 2026 World Cup.
- All available players in a team's squad will gather around the centre circle for the national anthems, with extra-large country flag banners on the pitch behind them.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Fifa Image caption, The opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa will be the debut of the new ceremony for national anthems
Football issues correspondent Published50 minutes ago Fifa has unveiled what it describes as a new "unique, immersive experience" pre-match ceremony for all matches at the 2026 World Cup.
All available players in a team's squad will gather around the centre circle for the national anthems, with extra-large country flag banners on the pitch behind them.
Article preview — originally published by BBC Sport. Full story at the source.
Read full story on BBC Sport →
More top stories
Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from BBC Sport alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place.
Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop