FIFA has confirmed that players in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will not be permitted to wear the rainbow armband or the OneLove armband in support of LGBTQ+ rights, reports The Guardian.
Players will instead be able to choose from eight other options approved by FIFA.
Themes for the approved Women’s World Cup armbands were chosen after collaboration with the 32 competing teams, and United Nations agencies.
The messages on them include Unite for Inclusion, Unite for Indigenous Peoples, Unite for Gender Equality, and Unite for Peace.
Others are, Unite for Education for All, Unite for Zero, Unite for Ending Violence Against Women, and Football is Joy, Peace, Love, Hope, and Passion are the messages on the armbands.
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FIFA will apply the same rules that prohibited teams from using the rainbow armbands at last year’s men’s World Cup. There will be consequences potential if a team chooses to break the guidelines.
Countries such as England and Germany protested against FIFA’s stance to block the use of the rainbow armbands last year. But the football governing body maintained its stance during the Qatar World Cup.
