World Cup: FIFA unveils captains armband choices

Team captains at the upcoming women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will have a choice of armbands to wear, highlighting a number of different social campaigns, FIFA announced on Friday.

Skippers will have a choice of three different types of armband: a "Football Unites The World" armband for the whole tournament, an armband corresponding to the theme of an individual matchday, or an alternative armband promoting one of eight socio-political issues.

FIFA says these issues have been selected following "extensive consultation with stakeholders including players and the 32 participating member associations,” and which call for fans to "Unite for" either:

"Inclusion," "Indigenous People," "Gender Equality," "Education for All," "Peace," "Zero Hunger" and to "End Violence Against Women." The eighth option is "Football is Joy, Peace, Hope, Love, Passion."

The messages will also be promoted on pitch-side advertising boards, large flags presented on the pitch, giant screens and via social media.

"Football unites the world and our global events, such as the Women's World Cup, have a unique power to bring people together and provide joy, excitement and passion," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Friday's statement. "But football does even more than that – it can shine the spotlight on very important causes in our society."

Germany's Alexandra Popp welcomes decision

Germany captain Alexandra Popp has welcomed the move, saying in a statement released by the German Football Association (DFB):

"We can also see ourselves well in the themes for the captain's armband that have now been defined, these also reflect our values.

"FIFA informed us about the different options and involved us in this process. It was a good exchange. One thing is clear, our team stands for diversity on and off the pitch."

Popp and Germany begin their campaign against Morocco on July 24.

Still no specific LGBTQ armband

Still conspicuous by its absence is the option of an explicitly pro-LGBTQ+ option in the form of the standard rainbow motif used by the LGBTQ community at "Pride" events.

The "Inclusion" armband, however, does feature red, black, green, pink, yellow and blue stripes layered horizontally within a heart-shaped outline, almost identical to the original "One Love" design which was deemed unacceptable to socially conservative Qatar seven months ago.

The colors also correspond to the recognized flags of Pan-Africanism and pan-Sexuality.

Men's team captains from England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark had planned to wear the "One Love" armbands at the men's World Cup to protest against Qatar's laws against same-sex relationships.

But after FIFA threatened sporting sanctions such as yellow cards against any player who wore it, the federations backed down – although Germany's players famously posed with their hands covering their mouths in their team photo ahead of their opening match.

Those sanctions will remain in place in Australia and New Zealand this year, too.

The tournament kicks off on July 20.

mf/ (AP, dpa)