After the controversies which surrounded them at the 2022 men's tournament in Qatar, the organisers of this summer's Women's World Cup are hopeful that players will be permitted to wear rainbow armbands at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Multiple European teams - including England and Wales - had hoped to wear rainbow armbands at the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar, but a late suggestion of yellow cards from FIFA led them to pull out of the gesture. The decision not to wear the armbands was met with widespread criticism, given the plight of the LGBTQ+ community in Qatar.
With the Women's World Cup fast approaching in late July, Football Australia's chief executive has said he is hopeful that FIFA have "learned their lesson" from the 2022 debacle, and that team captains will be free to adorn a rainbow design on their armbands if desired.
It is understood that the FAI are among the associations pushing FIFA to allow the move.
Women's World Cup: Football Australia hopeful of rainbow armband resolution
The Women's World Cup this year is set to be the first ever women's international tournament to feature Ireland, with the girls in green drawn in a group with hosts Australia, Nigeria, and Olympic gold medallists Canada.
It will be a tough ask for Vera Pauw's side - but they are taking a leaders' stance off the pitch with their reported demands to FIFA ahead of the tournament.
After several European countries pulled out of wearing "OneLove" armbands in Qatar for last year's men's World Cup, the organiser of the Women's World Cup this summer spoke to the Mail on his hope that rainbow armbands would be permitted at the tournament.
22 February 2023; Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe wears the captain's armband before the international friendly match between China PR and Republic of Ireland at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras, Spain. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
The Republic of Ireland and England are reportedly among those countries pushing for the move, and Football Australia CEO James Johnson explained that the process is well underway to ensure players will be free to wear the armbands:
It's not at the end point, we're in the middle of that process. I know that FIFA will be talking to the players as well ahead of the World Cup so that we can land in a place where players, within the regulations, can express themselves on certain issues.
We're pretty confident in the direction this is going. FIFA talked about the lessons they had in Qatar, they are engaged with us on this issue as hosts. We'd like to see some exceptions within the competition's regulations that players can express themselves over issues they feel are important.
It's important for us as the competition hosts, because that reflects who we are as a country - where people can express themselves and can use platforms to make points about certain issues. It is important the hosts and FIFA, the other participating member associations like the FA and ultimately the players, have those discussions.
Several players at the Women's World Cup are part of the LGBTQ+ community - including some of the Irish squad, such as captain Katie McCabe, who has spoken about the importance of visibility for the community at the highest level.
McCabe wore a captain's armband in the rainbow design for Ireland's friendly against China earlier this year.
It's fantastic to see the discussion surrounding rainbow armbands moving in a positive direction, and here's hoping the move will be greenlit ahead of this summer's tournament.
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