NEW YORK—Confessing total ignorance as to the origins of the mystifying ritual, FIFA admitted Friday it has absolutely no idea why soccer players routinely walk out onto the field accompanied by a group of little kids. “For a while now, the World Cup games have commenced with each player stepping out onto the pitch holding hands with a random child, but we never told anyone to start doing that,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino told reporters, noting that though the organization has no communication with the unidentified children at any point, they nonetheless appear in the entrance tunnel prior to each game before silently choosing a player to accompany to the field. “I mean, we’re talking about 52 total kids, every game, and I’m pretty sure they never repeat—it’s always 52 brand-new kids. Just an inexhaustible supply. And after the pregame ceremony, they all just take their free soccer ball and file out of the stadium. Honestly, the whole thing is kind of weird, but I guess it’s tradition now? It’s out of our hands at this point.” At press time, Infantino was forced to end his media comments after a group of blank-faced children entered his office, corralled reporters out of the room, and closed the door behind them.