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OneLove armband controversy hits Women’s World Cup

Leah Williamson (C) - OneLove armband controversy hits Women’s World Cup - Getty Images/Harriet Lander
Leah Williamson (C) - OneLove armband controversy hits Women’s World Cup - Getty Images/Harriet Lander

The Women’s World Cup is the latest tournament to find itself at the centre of the debate on whether players can wear the OneLove armband.

England men’s captain Harry Kane wore the OneLove armband last September, as well as in March's Three Lions matches against Italy and Ukraine. He had also planned to wear the pro-LGBTQ+ armband during the men’s World Cup last year, alongside several other European captains, but after the threat of sporting sanctions from Fifa, the Football Association told Kane not to wear it. It was a controversial issue at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

The world governing body’s regulations, as they currently stand, would see sporting sanctions, such as a yellow card, imposed if any player chose to wear the OneLove armband instead of Fifa’s own. However, Fifa has not yet ruled out changing its rules ahead of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which starts on July 20.

Reports in German newspaper Bild on Wednesday said the Germany women’s team had been told the rainbow armband, which they have worn for years, had been banned by Fifa for this summer.

“Fifa has informed us that they want all participating nations to wear the Fifa captain’s armband with the Fifa campaign,” Germany team manager Maika Fischer told Bild.

In response, a Fifa spokesperson told Telegraph Sport: “At a team workshop earlier today Fifa was asked about equipment and competition regulations in relation to the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

“Fifa wishes to reiterate that no decision has been taken in relation to armbands. Fifa remains committed to ongoing dialogue with players and member associations.”

National associations are understood to have been told at the workshop that the current rules have not yet changed, but there has been the promise of further dialogue between now and the start of the tournament.

Europe’s governing body, Uefa, approved the rainbow armband for use during last summer’s Women’s European Championship and Lionesses captain Leah Williamson also wore the OneLove armband for the Arnold Clark Cup tournament in February, an event for which Fifa were not in a position to impose sanctions.

It is understood she will wear the armband for April’s international friendlies against Brazil and Australia too, as has become regular for both England senior teams.

Williamson said in February that she would like to be allowed to wear the armband all-year round, adding: “We’re never shy in saying what we stand for. We’re trying to have a positive influence on society and that’s one of the ways we can do that.”