FIFA has adjusted its new pre-match ceremony at the 2026 World Cup so the flags of Saudi Arabia and Iraq are held aloft, never laid on the grass, to protect the sacred Islamic text stitched into each cloth. The accommodation came to public view during Saudi Arabia’s Group H opener against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a 1-1 draw where both teams’ flags were kept raised throughout the national anthems.
Why both flags stay off the grass comes down to one principle: Muslims consider it disrespectful to lay sacred text where people walk. FIFA’s solution is simple. The flag stays in the air.
The New Ceremony, and the Exception FIFA Built Into It
At every 2026 World Cup match across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the squads and the officials gather at the centre circle as two oversized national flags are unfurled, one across each half of the pitch, and laid flat on the grass for the anthems. The format is part of a redesigned 360-degree pre-match ceremony that FIFA calls a "fan-centric presentation," built to make the line-up feel larger than the starting eleven. Both flags stay on the turf from the moment the teams emerge until the anthems end.
For matches involving Saudi Arabia or Iraq, that script has one carve-out. FIFA does not place either flag on the ground, because both flags carry sacred Islamic text that Muslims consider disrespectful to lay where people walk. The change applies to both teams’ flags in the affected fixtures, including the opposition’s.
FIFA framed the adjustment in plain terms. "As part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony enhancements, FIFA introduced a new fan-centric presentation," a FIFA spokesperson told Reuters. "In delivering these ceremonies, FIFA worked closely with the participating teams to accommodate reasonable presentation requests." The spokesperson did not list which other flags receive the same treatment, and the wire specified why the flags of Saudi Arabia and Iraq stay aloft as the named examples. The accommodation is visible to the stadium crowd and to the broadcast audience in real time.
As part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony enhancements, FIFA introduced a new fan-centric presentation. In delivering these ceremonies, FIFA worked closely with the participating teams to accommodate reasonable presentation requests.
What the Saudi and Iraq Flags Actually Carry
Saudi Arabia’s flag carries the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, which reads: "There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." The inscription is rendered in white Arabic script above a white sword on a green field, the BBC reports on the religious wording in both flags. The Shahada is the first of the five pillars of Islam recited by Muslims entering the faith, and on the Saudi flag it sits permanently in plain view.
Iraq’s flag carries a different phrase, the Takbir, written in green Arabic script between the red and white stripes of the tricolour. "Allahu Akbar" translates to "God is greatest," a phrase Muslims use in daily prayer, at moments of celebration, and in the Islamic call to prayer. The wording is shorter than the Shahada, and it sits permanently on the cloth in green script.
- Saudi flag: the Shahada ("There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah") in white script above a white sword on a green field.
- Iraq flag: the Takbir ("Allahu Akbar," "God is greatest") in green script between the red and white stripes.
- Iran flag: the same Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar" sits inside the central red emblem of the tricolour.
- Underlying rule: Muslims consider it disrespectful to place either flag on the ground or floor where people walk.
How the Adjustment Played Out in Miami
Saudi Arabia’s Group H opener against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami was the highest-profile match involving one of the two named flags, and the ceremony went out live to a global broadcast audience. The visible exception, two flags held aloft together, was the version of the new format that many viewers saw first.
In the standard ceremony, both giant flags are dropped to the grass before kick-off and held there by flag bearers. For the Saudi-Uruguay game, Saudi Arabia’s flag was not placed on the grass. Instead, flag bearers held it aloft throughout the ceremony. Uruguay’s flag was also kept raised to maintain symmetry, the flag rule’s subtle on-pitch change in Miami made clear.
On the pitch, the match delivered a result that kept the pre-match pageantry in the background. Abdulelah Al-Amri gave Saudi Arabia a 41st-minute lead from a rebound off a saved header. Maximiliano Araújo equalised 10 minutes from full time, the first World Cup goal of his career and the first by a Uruguayan on his World Cup debut since Diego Forlán against Senegal in 2002. Saudi Arabia’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay in Miami left both teams on a single point from matchday one in Group H.
Saudi Arabia’s next test is the group’s hardest, a meeting with Spain in the second Group H round. Spain drew 0-0 with Cape Verde earlier on the same day, so the pool offers no soft landing. The flag protocol, in place since matchday one, travels with the team to every stadium Saudi Arabia enters.
Why Both Flags Get Held Aloft Together
FIFA’s adjustment doesn’t single out the Saudi or Iraq flag for special treatment on the pitch. When Saudi Arabia or Iraq play, both teams’ flags are held aloft together, including the opposition’s. The reason is visual symmetry. With one flag on the ground and the other in the air, the broadcast frame and the in-stadium view would look unbalanced. Holding both flags in the air preserves the geometry of the new ceremony.
The effect, on camera, is two giant flags waving side by side above a squad lined up at the centre circle. The foot of the flag pole stays clear of the grass, and the inscription on the cloth stays clear of the floor. The accommodation is small but visible.
Iran, and the Wider Religious-Text Question
Iran’s national flag carries the same Arabic phrase as Iraq’s, "Allahu Akbar," inscribed inside the central red emblem on the white stripe. The BBC has reported on the inscription in Iran’s flag as part of the post-1979 tricolour that has flown for decades. The same principle, sacred text on a national flag, applies to Iran’s flag too, though the Reuters wire did not name Iran in its list of examples.
The wider pattern covers more than two flags, and sacred religious text on a national flag is a feature of several Muslim-majority states. The "such as" phrasing in the Reuters report leaves the door open for other teams to request the same adjustment, and FIFA’s accommodation is built on the principle that the text is sacred, not the country.
What the Standard Ceremony Looks Like
FIFA unveiled the new pre-match ceremony as a 360-degree experience built for the 2026 World Cup’s expanded, multi-host format. The ceremony is designed so that every fan in the stadium has a clear view of the line-up, the anthems, and the flags, regardless of which stand they sit in. The redesign was also built so that the whole matchday squad, not just the starting eleven, takes part in the anthem moment.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino framed the change in the federation’s own press release on the redesigned 360-degree pre-match ceremony. "As the FIFA World Cup grows, we continue to innovate the way the game is experienced," Infantino said. "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 centre-circle line-up, the entry arches, the handheld country flags, and the post-anthem handshakes are all part of the same package.
Some matches at the 2026 World Cup have already run longer than traditional pre-kickoff routines because the ceremony has more moving parts. The flag rule for Saudi Arabia and Iraq adds a small visual exception to the centre-circle line-up, but it doesn’t change the rest of the format. The flag stays in the air, the squads stay in the circle, the anthems play, and the game follows. FIFA has not announced a separate handling for other matches, and the standard ceremony continues elsewhere.
- Players enter the pitch from the side closest to their tunnel through a dedicated arch, accompanied by youth programme escorts.
- Two oversized national flags are unfurled across each half of the pitch, one per team, and laid on the grass.
- The full matchday squad gathers around a central banner in the centre circle for the national anthems.
- Following the anthems, the starting line-ups take part in the traditional pre-match handshakes and team photos.
- The captains proceed to the coin toss, and the match begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why aren’t Saudi Arabia and Iraq flags placed on the ground at the 2026 World Cup?
Both flags carry sacred Islamic text that Muslims consider disrespectful to lay on the ground. The Saudi flag bears the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith. The Iraq flag carries the Takbir, the phrase "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greatest."
Which countries’ flags get the same treatment at the 2026 World Cup?
The Reuters wire that broke the story named Saudi Arabia and Iraq as the specific examples. Iran’s national flag carries the same "Allahu Akbar" inscription as Iraq’s, though the wire did not list Iran in its examples.
What does the standard 2026 World Cup pre-match ceremony look like?
The full matchday squad gathers around a central banner in the centre circle for the national anthems, as two oversized national flags are unfurled across each half of the pitch. After the anthems, the starting line-ups take part in handshakes and team photos before the captains proceed to the coin toss.
When did the flag adjustment come to public attention?
The accommodation was already in effect during Saudi Arabia’s Group H opener against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a 1-1 draw. The Reuters wire that named Saudi Arabia and Iraq as the examples was dated June 23, 2026.
What sacred text is on the Saudi Arabia and Iraq flags?
The Shahada on the Saudi flag reads "There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" and sits in white Arabic script above a white sword on a green field. The Takbir on the Iraq flag reads "Allahu Akbar," meaning "God is greatest," and sits in green script between the red and white stripes of the tricolour.
