FIFA has informed England that ‘OneLove’ armbands would not be authorized at the World Cup.
Subsequently, Harry Kane risks a probable penalty if he decides to wear the armband as a show of unity against Iran in the World Cup opening on Monday.
Gareth Bale also wanted to wear the armbands to show solidarity for LGBTQ+ and other disadvantaged groups in the aftermath of Qatari legislation against homosexuality, but FIFA has not approved the act from participating teams, leaving the FA upset.
On Sunday, talks with FIFA were held following the announcement of new armband motifs that would be permitted.
Although the new designs would contain the OneLove armband’s heart, they would not include the rainbow and would not be linked with the LGBTQ+ community.
Southgate confirmed before the match that England will take the knee against Iran to raise awareness of the fight against racism, saying:
“We have discussed taking the knee. We feel we should. It’s what we stand for as a team and have done for a long time.”
