FIFA has decided to exempt Saudi Arabia and Iraq from the ceremony of placing the national flag on the field during pre-match activities in the World Cup, due to the presence of the word "Allah" in the flags of the two countries.
During the World Cup matches currently being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, huge flags of the two teams are raised in each half of the field and placed on the ground while the two teams line up near the center circle to sing the national anthem.
But when the Saudi and Iraqi national teams play, the flags of both teams will be raised above the field, ensuring the continuation of the pre-match celebrations while respecting the doctrinal privacy of the religious texts written on the two flags.
A FIFA spokesperson told Reuters: "As part of the improvements made to the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA is implementing a new format for the ceremony that focuses primarily on pleasing the fans."
He added, "In organizing these celebrations, FIFA worked closely with the participating teams to meet reasonable requests regarding the ceremonies."
Placing flags bearing the name of God on the ground or in places where feet tread is considered inappropriate by Muslims.
