London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 07, 2026

FIFA allow rainbow hats and flags at Qatar World Cup stadium in U-turn

FIFA allow rainbow hats and flags at Qatar World Cup stadium in U-turn

The Football Association of Wales said venues in Qatar had been contacted and instructed to follow the agreed rules and regulations, including the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayman where The Dragons will face Iran for their second Group B match today.

FIFA has confirmed fans will be allowed to wear rainbow bucket hats and take rainbow flags into the stadium for Wales' match against Iran - after they were confiscated ahead of the side's 1-1 draw with the USA earlier this week.

The Football Association of Wales said venues in Qatar had been contacted and instructed to follow the agreed rules and regulations, including the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayman where The Dragons will face Iran for their second Group B match at 10am (UK time).

In a statement it added: "The FAW urges FIFA to adhere to their message that everybody will be welcome in Qatar during the World Cup and continue to highlight any further human rights issues.

"We remain with the belief that football is for everyone".




The agreement, specifically between FIFA and the FAW only - comes after the first week of the tournament has been marred by the governing body's handling of LGBTQ+ symbols.

FIFA has threatened to book team captains who wear a pro-inclusivity OneLove armband.

All eyes will be on the players of Wales and England to see if they follow Germany's lead and make a stand pre-match.

Germany's players covered their mouths during a team photo ahead of their 2-1 defeat against Japan to show "FIFA is silencing us" by shutting down attempts to wear rainbow-coloured OneLove armbands.

England boss Gareth Southgate has not ruled out his team making a gesture ahead of their game with the US to highlight human rights concerns, but said they will not be pressured into doing so.

That match kicks-off at 7pm at the Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor.

Seven European nations competing at the World Cup - including Germany, England and Wales - planned to wear OneLove anti-discrimination armbands during the tournament, but were dissuaded from doing so following the threat of sporting sanctions from FIFA.

Southgate said: "I think we've got to be comfortable that we know what we stand for.

"That's not to say we won't do anything moving forward if the timing's right, but I think we are rushing to be seen to be doing something, we could make an error that doesn't land well."

Rainbow bucket hats and flags should never have been confiscated from football fans in the first place, FAW chief executive Neil Mooney said.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, he said the FAW were "appalled" to hear rainbow bucket hats were being taken from supporters and staff in Qatar.

He said the FAW wrote to FIFA and pointed out that they were "promised an open and inclusive World Cup".

"Thankfully they've come back just in the last couple of hours, in writing to say that our fans can wear rainbow related clothing tomorrow, including bucket hats," he said.

"We're glad the fans can do that. It should never have been the case that they were confiscated in the first place.

"We have it in writing from FIFA that they're okay to wear whatever they wish."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
University of Bristol Opens £500 Million Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus
Online Bookmakers Accused of Privacy Breaches Through Cookie Consent Practices
Health Campaigners Urge UK Government to Abandon U.S. Pharmaceutical Agreement
Three-Quarters of UK A&E Staff Report Regular Violence or Aggression
Far-Right Demonstrations Target Portsmouth as Small-Boat Crossings Fuel Tensions
UK Records Hottest Summer on Record After Severe Heatwaves
UK Travellers Face Renewed EU Border Delays as Temporary Flexibility Ends
UK Rejects Calls to Pause AI Data Centre Expansion Despite Energy Concerns
UK Defence Figures Push for 3% Spending Target Amid Falklands Concerns
England Faces Rising Financial Pressure as Special Educational Needs Plans Surge
Metropolitan Police Consider Reform UK Probe Over Overseas Donations
Keir Starmer to Leave Parliament, Triggering By-Election
UK Treasury Weighs Windfall Taxes on Banks and Oil Companies Amid Bond Market Turmoil
Jaguar Land Rover to Cut Thousands of Jobs as UK Government Rules Out Bailout
OpenAI Unveils GPT-6 and Says: "We May Already Have Reached AGI"
Congressman Accused Andrew of Sex Crimes in the United States
Donald Trump: "I'm Glad Harry and Meghan Left the United States"
Spicy Food Is Linked to Lower Death Risk — but It Is Not a Miracle Cure
AfD Enters Saxony-Anhalt Election at 41% in Historic Test for German Politics
Gen Z Turns to Investing as America's First-Home Dream Moves Further Out of Reach
Thousands Join London March Calling for Tighter Abortion Restrictions
Institute of Directors Says Tax and Regulatory Uncertainty Still Weighs on UK Investment
Bank of England Faces Rate Dilemma as Weak Growth and Persistent Inflation Raise Stagflation Risks
Masked Anti-Immigration Protesters Block Roads to Port of Dover
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Devolution and Re-Industrialisation Agenda
British Chambers of Commerce Forecasts UK Growth of Just 1% Through 2027
UK Government Advances Bill to Tighten Rules on Overseas Political Donations
Nigel Farage Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Reform UK Donation-Law Evasion
Thousands Join Anti-Abortion March Through Central London
UK Beekeepers Call for Nationwide Tracking as Asian Hornet Sightings Increase
England Sees Sharp Rise in Property Subsidence Claims After Record Summer Heat
House of Lords Advances Financial Services Reform Bill
House of Lords Begins Detailed Scrutiny of Railways Bill and Great British Railways Plan
UK Treasury Cuts Green Book Discount Rate to Support More Regional Infrastructure Projects
Reform UK Suspends Two Senior Aides After Undercover Report on Foreign Donation Rules
UK Chancellor Warns Autumn Budget Will Require Tough Choices as Energy Shock Squeezes Public Finances
UK Parliament Raises Concerns Over Funding Structure of £400 Million Tropical Forest Initiative
Andy Burnham Launches Number 10 North as Part of UK Devolution Push
UK Reaffirms Falkland Islands Sovereignty Amid Renewed Regional Pressure
Andy Burnham to Abstain From Assisted Dying Vote as Ministers Are Told to Remain Neutral
Kemi Badenoch Sacks Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride in Conservative Economic Strategy Shake-Up
UK Government Drops Early Prisoner Release Plan in Favor of Deportations and Wider Prison Reform
UK Farmers Warn Drought-Hit Harvests Could Push Grocery Prices Higher
UK Economy Faces Persistent Stagflation Risks Ahead of October Budget
Masked Protesters Block Port of Dover Roads, Disrupting Cross-Channel Traffic
Reform UK Suspends Senior Officials After Undercover Investigation Into Foreign Donation Plans
UK Urges Households to Keep Emergency Supplies Amid Severe El Niño Warning
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Regional Industry and Prison Reform Agenda
Siemens Energy Wins Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Contract
UK Mortgage Costs Rise as Gilt Yields and Swap Rates Climb
×