When FIFA President Gianni Infantino stepped to the microphone at a press conference this week, he didn’t lead with a new rule or a sponsorship deal. Instead, he gave credit where he said credit was due — to Alessandro Del Piero, the Juventus and Italy legend, for reshaping one of the World Cup’s most visible pregame traditions.
At the 2026 World Cup in North America, all 26 members of each squad now walk onto the field together for the national anthems, rather than just the starting 11. The change, which has been widely praised by players and fans alike, was not cooked up by FIFA’s marketing team or borrowed from American sports spectacle. According to Infantino, it came straight from a conversation with Del Piero.
“Alessandro Del Piero a few months ago told me: ‘Why don’t you start bringing all of the players out onto the pitch during the anthem?’” Infantino recalled. “I said ‘Why?’ He said: ‘Because we’re all part of the same team.’”
Infantino admitted he initially didn’t know where Del Piero was going with the idea. But the more he thought about it, the more it clicked. “I thought he was right,” Infantino said. “Not all the players might play during a World Cup, so it’s about making them feel part of this very emotional moment during the national anthems. I believe this is something positive for all of the players, for the supporters.”
The World Cup has implemented several rule changes this year, drawing mixed reactions from fans and analysts. But the decision to include every squad member in the anthem ceremony has been almost universally well received. For players who may not see the field — especially in a 26-man roster where the gap between starter and reserve is often narrow — this small gesture carries real weight.
Infantino even wondered aloud if Del Piero’s own World Cup experience shaped the suggestion. Del Piero scored a famous extra-time goal off the bench in the 2006 semifinal against Germany, helping Italy win 2-0 in Dortmund. “I don’t know if that’s the reason why he said it,” Infantino said, “but he said we’re all part of the same team.”
The change means that before every match at this year’s tournament — including Thursday’s Group C matchup between Haiti and Scotland at Gillette Stadium — all 26 players will stand together under massive flags, singing their anthems as a full unit. It’s a simple shift, but one that underscores a fundamental truth about tournament soccer: the bench matters every bit as much as the starting XI.
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