FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed that the reform of team appearances at this FIFA World Cup originated from a suggestion by Italian and Juventus legend Del Piero.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has introduced several rule changes, some of which have been well received, while others have proved controversial. One widely acclaimed change is the pre-match entry and national anthem ceremony, which now involves all 26 squad members instead of just the starting 11.
At a recent press conference, Infantino revealed that the initial proposal for this procedural adjustment came from former Juventus and Italy star Del Piero.
"For the first time, all 26 players will step onto the field together. There will be giant national flags, and the national anthem will be played as the entire team lines up against the backdrop of these large flags," Infantino began.
"Where did this idea come from? As you know, we've always wanted to try new things, and initially, we even considered doing something American-style, with commercial elements like a show. But that wasn't it. It came from a conversation I had with Del Piero."
"A few months ago, Del Piero said to me, 'Why don't all the players come out when the national anthem is played?' I asked, 'Why?' He replied, 'Because we are all part of the team.'"
Infantino continued, "I don't know if it's because he scored one of the most beautiful goals in FIFA World Cup history – in 2006, in Dortmund, in the Italy vs. Germany match, he came on as a substitute and scored the decisive goal to seal a 2-0 victory. I don't know if that experience gave him the idea, but he clearly stated that we are all part of the team."
"I think he was right, so we began discussing it. During the FIFA World Cup, not all players get the chance to play, so we wanted them to be able to take part in such an emotional moment as the national anthem. I believe this is a positive thing for all players and all fans."