Photographers up close and 'ruining' personal moments during World Cup anthems

1 1 4 →1 1 →1 1 →1 0 →1 2 →0 7 →1 2 →2 1 →0 5 →1 0 →0 1 →1 1 →1 2 →2 3 →1 1 →4 3 →0 3 →1 1 →1 4 →2 1 →0 1 →3 1 →1 4 →1 Live 2 →0 - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- World Cup: 'Scrum' of photographers may be ruining coaches' proudest moments during national anthems Fri 19 Jun 2026 at 8:33am Sports fans love feeling up close and personal to athletes. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has provided new ways for fans to get close, but it may have gone too far during one specific yet sacred moment during a football match. The playing of the national anthem. To see the emotion and reaction on the world's best footballers' faces really makes you feel like you're right there with them, even if you are watching from the couch at 5am. The up-close photography also give the viewer the ability to relate to the players. After all, we are all rooting for our nations to do well. And we all proudly sing the anthems of our country before kick off. Herein lies the problem. You may have missed it, but during every anthem played at a World Cup match, a "scrum" of photographers is positioned right in front of the coaches' boxes. These photographers not only get right up close to the coaches and staff, but they also block their view of the field, the players and the fans. In early June, FIFA presented a new protocol for anthems during World Cup matches that allows all players, both starters and substitutes, to stand in the middle of the pitch. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said this will "create a moment of unity, pride and emotion that truly belongs to the teams". But the new mandate does not include staff. They were still required to stand on the sideline, behind a media pen. FIFA rules say photographers must stand in designated "flash zones" during national anthems, strictly prohibiting them from flanking the managers. According to the FIFA policy, this is to prevent photographers from obstructing the view of the players and fans during the anthem. Missing from that group were the coaches. It was England manager Thomas Tuchel who referred to this scurry as a scrum. Speaking after England's win over Croatia, he said it "ruined" his experience watching his England team sing God Save the King for his first time in charge of the nation at a World Cup match. "I have to tell you something, I am begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem because I could not see my team in the national anthem," he said. "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 metre away, and I could not see one single player." Tuchel was visibly frustrated during the anthem and tried to usher away the scrum of photographers. But of course, they got the shot and the audience watching at home got to watch the England manager, who is German, not sing along. Tuchel's complaints have been fortunately heard, with FIFA swiftly changing its guidelines to force the photographers a little wider, closer to the halfway line, allowing the coaches a clear line of sight. In theory, this should provide the best of both worlds. At every game at the World Cup so far, the photographers have captured the coaches in this moment. Some of the best stills of the tournament have been captured during the singing of the anthem. Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu was in tears listening to their national anthem ahead of their game against the Netherlands. Iran's head coach Amir Ghalenoei and his staff were photographed arm-in-arm with their hands on their heart after being flown in (and immediately out) for their first match of the tournament. Tony Popovic was snapped looking to the skies during the Australian national anthem. All special moments, no doubt, but do we need to be that close? As we pointed out earlier this week, the football fan receives almost constant access to the game and, as such, benefit from its ability to spark joy. And despite the fact that this point of contention makes us feel part of the action, perhaps it is best to leave this moment to the coaches. Many of whom are experiencing a minute in time that must be so profound. Let them enjoy the moment.