FIFA Moves World Cup Photographers After England Coach’s Complaints About ‘Ruined’ National Anthems

FIFA has agreed to move photographers during pre-match national anthems at the 2026 World Cup after complaints from England head coach Thomas Tuchel.

England opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday. However, despite the win, Tuchel said he was disappointed that a wall of photographers standing near the bench prevented him from seeing his players during the national anthems before kickoff.

“I have to tell you something. I’m begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem, because I could not see my team in the national anthem,” Tuchel told reporters after the match. “And I was waiting for this moment. It was a very, very special moment today, and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers, half a meter away, and I could not see one single player.”

The match in Dallas was Tuchel’s first as a World Cup manager, and he said that the emotion of the national anthems was ruined by the photographers.

“It ruined a little bit my experience today,” Tuchel said.

After receiving feedback from several people, including Tuchel, FIFA as updated its guidelines to give national team head coaches and their staff the option to stand alongside the photographers — either to the left or right, depending on which side they are on — during the pre-match ceremony. This will allow national team head coaches and their staff to to have an unobstructed view of the anthems.

According to a report by BBC Sport, the updated FIFA guidelines also state that photographers may be grouped together in a designated area, potentially closer to the halfway line. Coaching staff will no longer be required to remain in front of the dugouts and will instead be allowed to move to either side of the photographers for a clear view of the teams gathered around the center circle.

The national teams will need to make their preference clear regarding where the coaches want to stand for the pre-match ceremony in the pre-match operational meeting before every fixture.

According to BBC Sport, it remains unclear whether the changes will fully address Tuchel’s concerns as the Football Association is still awaiting further discussions with soccer’s world governing body on the issue.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.

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