Why is FIFA holding a minute of silence before today’s World Cup quarterfinals?
For the last two World Cup quarterfinal rounds played on Saturday, FIFA will be holding a minute of silence. The final two quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup take place today, July 11th, with Norway facing England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Argentina taking on Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Before both matches begin, a minute of silence will be observed. FIFA has announced that the tribute is being held in honor of Jayden Adams, the South African footballer who participated in this World Cup and passed away on Saturday, July 11th, after returning to his home country. FIFA’s official statement confirmed the protocol: “M99 (Norway-England) and M100 (Argentina-Switzerland): a minute of silence will be observed in both matches in memory of Jayden Adams, who unfortunately passed away at the age of 25. The South African midfielder made his FIFA World Cup debut during this tournament, playing three matches as Bafana Bafana qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in their history.” A midfielder for Mamelodi Sundowns, who featured in the most recent FIFA Club World Cup, Adams earned his place in the national team through his performances at club level. The news of his passing broke on Saturday morning, with the cause of death not yet made public. Jayden Adams #23 of South Africa looks on during a training session. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also paid tribute on social media: “It’s so incredibly sad to hear that South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams has passed away just weeks after featuring in his nation’s historic FIFA World Cup campaign. My thoughts and condolences, as well as those of everyone at FIFA and the global football community, are with his family, friends and teammates. The Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns star will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.“ Jayden Adams at the 2026 World Cup Adams was part of South Africa’s starting lineup for the tournament opener against Mexico, one of the most anticipated games of the opening round. He was substituted off in the 61st minute for Themba Zwane in a match that ended in a 2-0 defeat for Bafana Bafana. Before the second group game against Czechia, Adams received the devastating news that his grandmother, Marianna, had passed away. He chose to play through the grief, starting the match before being taken off at halftime in a game that finished 1-1. For the final group stage fixture against South Korea, Adams came on as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 victory that sealed South Africa’s place in the Round of 32. Their knockout run ended there, falling 1-0 to Canada in a match Adams did not feature in, bringing his World Cup to a close in what would prove to be the final chapter of his life.
