London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 17, 2026

Armband row threatens to overshadow England’s World Cup opener

Armband row threatens to overshadow England’s World Cup opener

FIFA has banned England from wearing the ‘OneLove’ armband at the World Cup amid fears captain Harry Kane could be booked before kick-off for his defiance.

The row is adding to the controversy that is threatening to overshadow the tournament which kicked off on Sunday when hosts Qatar were beaten 2-0 by Ecuador.

The FA is in discussion with the sport’s governing body about potential repercussions ahead of Monday’s game against Iran.

Tottenham striker Kane is among the captains of nine European nations planning to wear the rainbow armbands in a country where same-sex relationships are criminalised.


England’s Harry Kane wearing a OneLove captain’s armband. Kane and the captains of the eight other countries who have qualified for the World Cup will wear the OneLove armband in Qatar

The FA is prepared to be fined over the issue and reiterated its decision to wear the armband against discrimination despite FIFA announcing plans for its own bands on the eve of the tournament.

It has been reported wearing the armband could lead to an immediate booking before a ball is kicked, which could cause havoc as two yellow cards lead to a one-match ban.

That would mean both Kane and Wales captain Gareth Bale - who has also pledged to wear the armband - could be banned from the final group game when the two sides meet.

England skipper Kane said: “I think we’ve made it clear as a team and a staff and organisation that we want to wear the armband.

Harry Kane and Gareth Southgate speak to the press at the World Cup

“I know the FA are talking to FIFA at the moment, and I’m sure by game-time tomorrow they will have their decision. But, yeah, I think we’ve made it clear that we want to wear it.”

Asked for his opinion given the apparent threat of a yellow card, boss Southgate added: “There’s nothing I can add to what Harry has said.

“I know there are some conversations going on. I think a number of European countries have spoken.

“We’ve made our position clear, so hopefully everything will be resolved before the game.”

Southgate also said England will take the knee before their World Cup games..

The Three Lions made the gesture against racism and inequality in 33 straight matches after football returned after the Covid-19 shutdown.

He said: “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 period of time.”

Qatar’s defeat on Sunday made them the first hosts to lose the opening match in the tournament’s 92-year history and the venue looking noticeably less full when the second half got under way with them already two down.

It came after actor Morgan Freeman sought to provide a dose of Hollywood gravitas as the 2022 tournament was officially opened.

The Oscar-winning actor, known for his roles in The Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby, narrated the opening ceremony initially on a video before appearing in the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium.

Morgan Freeman at the opening ceremony of the World Cup


He told the crowd: “We gather here as one big tribe and Earth is the tent we all live in.”

Men dancing with swords, camels and a parade of World Cup mascots also featured in the ceremony to open the competition controversially awarded to Qatar.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino was in attendance alongside Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the driving force behind the country’s World Cup bid.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Sarah Ferguson Reportedly Retreats to Late Ex-Boyfriend's Swiss Chalet
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes
Thieves Steal Antonello da Messina Renaissance Masterpieces From Sicilian Museum
Better.com Founder Who Fired 900 Employees on Zoom Is Ousted as CEO
Italian Speed Camera Issues Nearly 32,000 Fines in 10 Weeks, Worth More Than €3 Million
AI Manager at San Francisco Store Recommends Firing Human Employee
Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy
Campaigners Press Government to Strengthen Rights for Four Million Gig Workers
Government Considers Higher Private Rents to Spread Asylum Accommodation Across UK
UK Moves to Protect Historic Pubs From Conversion Into Housing and Offices
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to House of Commons
British Manufacturers Report Rising Cybersecurity Threats Across Industrial Supply Chains
Royal Navy Increases Monitoring of Russian Ships in UK Waters by 25 Percent
England Adds More Than 350 Medical Training Posts to Strengthen NHS Capacity
NHS Waiting Lists Over 52 Weeks Rise by More Than 11,000 Patients
Brent Crude Near $88 Raises Fresh UK Energy Cost Concerns
UK Treasury Warns Prolonged Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Cut 2027 Growth to 0.3 Percent
UK Economy Grows 0.4 Percent in Second Quarter as Energy and Inflation Risks Persist
UK Heatwave Triggers Emergency Alert as Government Unveils £65 Million Farm Support Package
Reform UK Unveils Plan to Cut Welfare Spending by More Than £50 Billion a Year
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Praised Extinction Rebellion for Doing a 'Great Service'
UK Wildfire Phone Alert Triggers Backlash as Users Switch Off Emergency Warnings
Heathrow Roads Reopen After Burst Water Main Floods Access to Terminals 2 and 3
Former NBA Players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White Say They Will Enter 2027 WNBA Draft
Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Found Dead Days After Resigning Amid Plagiarism Row
US Appeals Court Rules AI Agent's Website Actions Are Legally Attributed to the User
France's Constitutional Council Blocks Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
Liechtenstein Changes Royal Succession Rules to Allow Women to Inherit the Throne
Women Allege Rape and Sexual Abuse at British Army College for Teenage Recruits
Minnesota: Two independent investigators posed as Muslims (one wearing a burqa) and showed how they could vote in elections without identification.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Takes Regional Tour to Highlight Local Infrastructure and Environmental Problems
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
Bank of England Warns Rising Inflation Could Squeeze UK Household Incomes
UK Government Announces £65 Million Aid Package for Farmers Hit by Severe Drought
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Despite Energy Market Pressures
UK Issues Emergency Alert as Severe Wildfires Spread Across England and Wales
UK and Finland Discuss European Defence and Continued Support for Ukraine
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
UK Government Deploys Military to Help Fight Wildfires and Bans Disposable Barbecues
UK Records Hottest Day of the Year as Fifth Summer Heatwave Peaks in Southern England
UK Condemns Houthi Actions and Warns of Red Sea Threat to Global Trade
UK and Solomon Islands Open Wildlife Photography Exhibition in Honiara
UK Small Businesses Face Continued Cash Flow and Tax Pressures
Greatham Marsh Restoration Restores Tidal Wetland in Hartlepool After More Than 200 Years
UK Health Regulator Urges University Students to Check Meningitis and Measles Vaccination Status
Mining Remediation Authority Completes Major Ground Stabilization Works in Scottish Community
UK Food Crime Investigators Seize 33 Tonnes of Illegal Food in Multi-Agency Operation
Technical Qualification Uptake Hits Record High as Advanced Mathematics Results Improve
UK Summer Temperatures on Course to Challenge Long-Standing Records, Met Office Says
UK Farmers Bring Forward Cereal Harvests as Drought Threatens Yields
×