Thomas Tuchel crash prompts FIFA to change World Cup anthem protocol

Thomas Tuchel has won his battle with FIFA after the governing body agreed to change the position of the photographer during the national anthems at the 2026 World Cup. The move comes just days after the England manager complained that photographers blocked his view of his players ahead of the opening win over Croatia.

England’s victory over Croatia 4:2 in Dallas marked Tuchel’s first game as a World Cup manager. While Harry Kane’s side impressed on the pitch, The German coach then admitted that one of the most emotional moments of the evening was ruined.

England vs Croatia, FIFA World Cup 2026: Highlights

“I have to tell you something. I’m asking FIFA to change the position of the photographers during the national anthem because I couldn’t see my team,” Tuchel said after the match.

“It was a very strange moment, I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers and I couldn’t see a single player. It kind of spoiled the experience for me.”

Tuchel’s comments quickly gained attention across the football world, particularly as the national anthem is traditionally one of the most significant moments for coaches and players at the World Cup. Television cameras showed photographers lining the touchline directly in front of the England bench as the players sang “God Save The King”.

FIFA has now responded by introducing a revised arrangement. Photographers will be grouped closer to the halfway line, while coaches will be able to position themselves to the left or right to have an unobstructed view of their players during the pregame ceremony.

The change was first implemented during Thursday’s Group A match between the Czech Republic and South Africa and will now be adopted at all World Cup venues.

HOW EDITION MADE A WORLD CUP VENUE

The problem arose in large part because of the unique layout at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The venue, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, required significant renovations to host World Cup games. As the pitch for American football is smaller than a FIFA-standard pitch, the organizers had to increase the pitch by around 1.2 meters to match the required dimensions.

The redesign reduced the available space around the sidelines and created congestion between photographers, coaches and referees during the national anthems.

While the issue may have seemed minor, it clearly mattered to Tuchel. The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager waited years for his first World Cup game in charge of the national team, making the anthem a particularly meaningful moment.

The complaint also arrived during a memorable opening week of the tournament. Kylian Mbappe declared himself for France, Lionel Messi rolled back the years with a hat-trick for Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo suffered a frustrating draw with Portugal and England produced one of the standout performances of the opening round.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

19 Jun 2026 02:11 IST