FIFA has implemented a rule change for the 2026 World Cup after England manager Thomas Tuchel complained that a scrum of photographers blocked his view of his players during the national anthem. The new protocol allows head coaches to stand to the left or right of the media scrum, and photographers are now bunched more tightly and positioned closer to the halfway line.
Tuchel's frustration in opening match
The issue arose during England's 4-2 victory over Croatia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Tuchel stood directly behind approximately 50 photographers positioned just half a metre away, making it impossible to see his players singing 'God Save the King'. "It ruined a little bit of my experience today," Tuchel said publicly, calling on FIFA to alter the guidelines.
Touchline congestion was exacerbated by the stadium's layout, with a small distance between the pitch and dugouts forcing media personnel to stand in front of coaching staff. Under original guidelines, photographers were mandated to assemble directly in front of team benches during anthems, while coaching staff had to remain stationary in front of their dugouts.
Systemic change for all matches
Acknowledging the issue could affect any team, FIFA implemented the rule change for every match at the tournament, effective immediately starting with the Czech Republic vs. South Africa fixture. National teams must now communicate their coaching staff positioning preferences during standard pre-match operational meetings.
The updated protocol successfully cleared sightlines for England's subsequent group-stage matches against Ghana and Panama, allowing Tuchel and his staff an unobstructed view of the squad during the anthem.
