sign for inclusion
Fifa allows colorful captain’s armbands at the Women’s World Cup – and gives three options
DFB captain Alexandra Popp with the rainbow armband at an international match
© Hendrik Schmidt / DPA
It was still highly controversial at the men’s soccer World Cup in Qatar: the “One Love” captain’s armband. Women can now set an example for inclusion – and have three options to do so.
No rainbow, but a colorful message for inclusion: In contrast to the men’s World Cup, the world football association allows the World Cup to Women’s multicolored captain’s armbands in the style of the “One Love” armband. Various bandages with messages on social issues are allowed at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand this summer, as FIFA announced on Friday. However, there are no captain’s armbands in the classic rainbow colors, which the German team around captain Alexandra Popp had recently campaigned for.
During the women’s World Cup from July 20 to August 20, FIFA wants to work with United Nations organizations to draw attention to various social issues, the world association said. “After many open discussions with stakeholders, including member associations and players, we decided to highlight a range of societal issues – from inclusion to gender equality, from peace to the end of hunger, from education to domestic violence – during all 64 matches at the Women’s World Cup,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
At the men’s World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022, there was a major controversy surrounding the captain’s armbands. In addition to the rainbow armband, the so-called “One Love” armband was also banned by Fifa under threat of sanctions. A heart in bright colors can be seen on the bandage and the slogan “One Love” can be read. The ban on the armband also caused a stir when the DFB-Elf were eliminated from the preliminary round. It ended with captain Manuel Neuer and the other players covering their mouths before the opening game against Japan.
Three different armbands at the Women’s World Cup
After the men’s World Cup, the world association announced that it would enter into dialogue with the associations. Germany’s captain Popp recently said her team would “very much like” to play with the rainbow armband at the World Cup. The rainbow colors stand for more diversity in society.
“We’re also completely fine with it if we play with a different bandage afterwards,” said the 32-year-old striker recently. The FIFA Inclusion armband now features the same colors as the One Love armband. The German Football Association announced last year before the men’s World Cup that the bandage should be a sign against any form of discrimination and for any form of diversity. “Red, black and green can be found in the Pan-African flag, pink, yellow and blue symbolize the pansexual flag,” said a statement from the DFB at the time.
At the World Cup, players now have three options: they can choose to wear a “Football Unites the World” captain’s armband for the entire tournament, or they can wear a armband with the same message throughout the tournament, or wear an armband throughout the tournament with a specific theme for each match day.