England players will wear black armbands against Australia
The Football Association has “tried to make the best decision with good intentions” over tributes to those who have died in Israel and Gaza, according to England manager Gareth Southgate.
The FA has chosen not to light up the Wembley arch with the colours of the Israeli flag.
Secretary of state for culture, media and sport Lucy Frazer has called that decision “disappointing”.
More than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel in a series of attacks launched by Palestinian militant group Hamas last week.
Israel then launched air strikes on Gaza and has restricted access to food, water, fuel and medicine in the territory.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Gaza in those strikes, with 338,000 people displaced.
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The FA said in a statement before Southgate’s comments earlier on Thursday: “We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.”
It added that only “flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality for competing nations” would be allowed inside Wembley for the match against Australia and Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
The statement did not mention the Wembley arch.
BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that the governing body was unlikely to illuminate the arch in the colours of the Israel flag because of fears of a backlash.
Senior officials at the FA were understood to be wary of a perception they might be taking sides in the Middle East conflict.
Government minister Frazer criticised the FA’s decision not light up the arch on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “It is especially disappointing in light of the FA’s bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel.”
More to follow.
