FIFA is introducing a new pre-match ceremony for the 2026 World Cup aimed at making the experience more exciting and engaging for fans. The ceremony will feature music from the official World Cup album and transform the entire stadium into part of the spectacle through a 360-degree presentation that can be enjoyed from every section of the venue.

Also, giant national flags and special on-pitch displays designed to bring supporters closer to the action will be included, and this, the global football governing body said, is aimed at strengthening the connection between players and fans before kick-off.

This will mark a shift from the traditional way of players lining up ahead of a kickoff on the field.

Under the redesigned pre-match ceremony system, players will walk onto the pitch alongside youth programme escorts through a special arch positioned near their team tunnel. The ceremony will also feature several visual displays, including a large banner at the centre circle, handheld national flags and prominent FIFA branding across the field.

In a notable change, all players named in the matchday squad, not just the starting eleven, will gather around the centre-circle banner during the national anthems. FIFA says this will allow every squad member to share in the pride and emotion of representing their country on football’s biggest stage.

“As the FIFA World Cup grows, we continue to innovate the way the game is experienced”, said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. 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. The FIFA World Cup is about every player and every fan, and this new pre-match ceremony reflects that”, FIFA officially announced on Thursday, June 4, 2026, through a media release from its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and simultaneous press briefings in Los Angeles, USA.

After the anthems, the traditional pre-match rituals, including the handshakes and team photos of the starting line-ups and then the captains will come up for the coin toss.

Later in the tournament, the pre-match ceremony will incorporate additional elements such as coloured smoke or pyrotechnics. Furthermore, the youth programme and players’ tunnel will feature both traditional and new integrations of FIFA’s Commercial Partners, thanks to the involvement of adidas, Coca-Cola, Kia, Mengniu, Qatar Airways and Quaker.

The FIFA World Cup scheduled for June-July 2026 is set to see approximately five to ten million people in attendance, as announced by the president of the football governing body, Gianni Infantino.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November, he noted that the tournament is expected to attract millions of people across the three countries set to host the games next year.

“Millions of fans will be coming. One of the things I’ve observed in America is that the stadiums here are really built for people to have fun, to enjoy, to spend time. They don’t just watch the game and leave — they stay for hours, and I think that’s exactly what we need. We need occasions that bring people together from all over the world.”

The USA is giving priority access to fans, the White House has announced.

People from all over the World will travel to support their countries. Consequently, the White House has announced that fans set to travel for the tournament to the USA will be given the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (Pass), given that most of the matches will be played there.

The FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) is a special visa‑interview scheduling program created by the U.S. government and FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. It gives ticket holders priority access to U.S. visa appointments, ensuring fans can travel to matches in North America despite existing visa backlogs.

Speaking during a joint press briefing with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House in Washington, D.C., on 17 November, President Donald Trump mentioned that “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success.”

Detailing how the ‘World’ will gain access into the US, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that ticket-holders for the tournament, set for next June and July in the US, Canada and Mexico, will not be automatically granted a tourist visa.

But foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying, Rubio said.

“Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue,” the Secretary noted.

The FIFA president also noted that “With this FIFA Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, who are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa”.

The announcement of priority visa appointments has been welcomed by many, including the US Travel Association, a tourism industry trade group. “The expedited process for FIFA ticket-holders adds needed efficiency without sacrificing security. This is the kind of practical action that strengthens security, increases capacity and cuts wait times, putting the U.S. on a stronger footing to welcome millions of visitors next year,” the group’s CEO, Geoff Freeman, said in a statement.

The announcement comes after citizens of countries that have already booked their place at the tournament have long wait times for visa appointments.