FIFA has confirmed the Football Association of Wales that fans wearing rainbow-colored attire would be permitted entrance to the World Cup match against Iran on Friday.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has announced that fans will be permitted to bring rainbow-themed bucket hats and banners into the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium for Wales’ second World Cup Group B encounter against Iran on Friday.
The caps symbolise “Rainbow Wall,” a supporters’ organisation for Wales fans who identify as LGBTQ. The hats were designed in collaboration with FAW.
FAW stated on Tuesday that it will approach FIFA after its workers and spectators were requested to remove and destroy bucket hats before entering the stadium for their first match.
The Football Association of Wales has been told by FIFA that fans wearing rainbow-colored hats and flags would be permitted entrance to the World Cup match against Iran on Friday, and that this policy will be applied across all stadiums.
The Football Association of Wales met with World Cup 2022 organisers after supporters and personnel wearing rainbow-colored bucket hats, shoelaces, and wristbands were detained ahead to Wales’ Group B match against the United States, according to the Guardian.
It should be mentioned that Wales was among the teams who reversed their decision to wear ‘One Love’ armbands in favour of LGBTQ+ rights when FIFA threatened punishment. Same-sex relationships are prohibited and penalised in Qatar, the host country.
The FIFA and Qatari authorities were in talks after the Football Association of Wales received clarification on the outcome, which resulted in supporters being ordered to remove rainbow-colored clothing if they wanted to enter the stadium.
Noel Mooney, chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, stated that FIFA’s threat was “cheap and pretty low.”” It’s disgusting that our fans’ bucket hats are being removed. The armband took away their voice, as it did the players’ voices. We are really upset as a result “Mooney continued.
In a statement, the Football Association of Wales said: “Fifa has confirmed that fans wearing Rainbow Wall bucket hats and waving rainbow flags will be permitted inside the stadium for Cymru’s play against Iran on Friday. All World Cup sites have been informed and told to adhere to the agreed-upon rules and regulations. The FAW asks FIFA to stick to their statement that everyone is welcome in Qatar during the World Cup and to continue to raise any additional human rights concerns.”
Wales fans wearing rainbow-colored caps and banners were permitted access to the FIFA World Cup match versus Iran.
