FIFA make World Cup rule change after Thomas Tuchel's complaining they 'ruined' England game
Thomas Tuchel has got his way after his complaints following England's victory over Croatia have directly resulted in a FIFA rule change.
England got their 2026 World Cup campaign off to a roaring start in Texas, defeating Croatia 4-2 in Dallas.
Captain Harry Kane was at the double, while second-half strikes from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford secured the three points.
Thomas Tuchel had plenty to smile about after the game, but still couldn't hide his frustration over something that happened before it even kicked off.
Advert
As England's entire squad lined up around the centre circle to sing the national anthem ahead of the match, Tuchel was cut off from the rest of his team by a mass of photographers who crowded around the technical area.
Tuchel was visibly frustrated during the anthems, as he told the photographers they were too close, and his complaints continued after the final whistle blew as he begged FIFA to move them.
The German's complaints have bared fruit, as FIFA has now changed the rules to ensure the coaching staff aren't so isolated again.
The BBC reports FIFA have put a compromise in place after listening to feedback from a number of people, including the Three Lions boss.
Coaching staff will no longer be required to remain in front of their dugouts during the anthems, and will be allowed to move to either side of the photographers so they can see their players.
Photographers, meanwhile, can still be grouped in a huddle, but potentially further away from the dugouts and closer to the halfway line.
However, it is reported that the Football Association is still wanting to hold talks with FIFA on the issue.
What Thomas Tuchel said about photographers.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Tuchel couldn't help but bring up how his experience was slightly 'ruined' due to being hemmed in by the wall of snappers.
"I have to tell you something. I'm begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers in the national anthem, because I could not see my team," the former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund boss said.
"It was a very special moment, and I was standing in front of a wall of 50 photographers and I could not see one single player. It ruined a little bit my experience."
Tuchel will be hoping the new rules will be in effect when England take on Ghana in their next Group L match in Boston on Tuesday.
World Cup 2026 fixture schedule and UK kick off times
Friday, 19 June
Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, US
Saturday, 20 June
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 1.30am - Philadelphia, US
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Toronto, Canada
Sunday, 21 June
Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 1am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 5am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Monday, 22 June
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 2am - Vancouver, Canada
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Tuesday, 23 June
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 1am - Toronto, Canada
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, US
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Wednesday, 24 June
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 12am - Foxborough, US
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 11pm - Atlanta, US
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Thursday, 25 June
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Philadelphia, US
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Friday, 26 June
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 12am - Kansas City, US
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 12am - Arlington, US
Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 3am - Los Angeles, US
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 3am - Santa Clara, US
Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 8pm - Foxborough, US
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada
Saturday, 27 June
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 1am - Houston, US
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 1am - Zapopan, Mexico
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 4am - Seattle, US
Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 28 June
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 12.30am - Miami, US
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 12.30am - Atlanta, US
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 3am - Kansas City, US
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 3am - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Monday, 29 June
Round of 32 - Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 32 - Match 74: Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, kick-off 9.30pm - Foxborough, US
Tuesday, 30 June
Round of 32 - Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, US
Wednesday, 1 July
Round of 32 - Match 79: Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 32 - Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 32 - Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, kick-off 9pm - Seattle, US
Thursday, 2 July
Round of 32 - Match 81: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, kick-off 1am - Santa Clara, US
Round of 32 - Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Friday, 3 July
Round of 32 - Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada
Round of 32 - Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, kick-off 7pm - Arlington, US
Round of 32 - Match 86: Group J winners vs Group H runners-up, kick-off 11pm - Miami, US
Saturday, 4 July
Round of 32 - Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, kick-off 2.30am - Kansas City, US
Round of 16 - Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, kick-off 6pm - Houston, US
Round of 16 - Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, US
Sunday, 5 July
Round of 16 - Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, US
Monday, 6 July
Round of 16 - Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, kick-off 1am - Mexico City, Mexico
Round of 16 - Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Tuesday, 7 July
Round of 16 - Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, kick-off 1am - Seattle, US
Round of 16 - Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, US
Round of 16 - Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, kick-off 9pm - Vancouver, Canada
Thursday, 9 July
Quarter-final - Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, US
Friday, 10 July
Quarter-final - Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, US
Saturday, 11 July
Quarter-final - Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 12 July
Quarter-final - Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, US
Tuesday, 14 July
Semi-final - Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Wednesday, 15 July
Semi-final - Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, kick-off 8pm - Atlanta, US
Saturday, 18 July
Third Place Playoff - Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 19 July
Final - Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
Daniel Murphy