The World Cup begins on Thursday and captains will wear FIFA’s new ‘Unite’ armbands, but the governing body of world football has been criticised for a lack of pro LGBTQ+ stance.
It was announced last month that FIFA had partnered with the United Nations to create eight stakeholder-sanctioned armbands that can be swapped out or worn during the month-long tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The ‘Unite’ armbands are a solution to the ‘OneLove’ armband debate that sparked the threat of sanctions being issued to countries, including England and Wales, during the men’s World Cup in Qatar last winter.
While FIFA’s ‘Unite’ armbands will highlight a number of social issues, amongst them inclusion, gender equality, indigenous people and peace, there is no specific armband that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and none contain the rainbow colours commonly associated as the colours of pride.
Stonewall ambassador Amazin LeThi has been left disappointed, especially given many players involved at the tournament will be part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Unite for inclusion is not enough,” LeThi told the PA news agency in reference to one of the eight ‘Unite’ armbands.
“And who are you not wanting to offend by not having the rainbow flag colours for the unite for inclusion armband? It is like, ‘we are uniting for inclusion but only for certain communities,’.
“So many fans as well are part of the LGBTQ+ community. FIFA has had World Cups in countries where there are anti-LGBTQ+ laws so what a statement it would have made this time if the athletes came out wearing an armband in support of the LGBTQ+ community.”
FIFA consulted with national associations ahead of this World Cup in an effort to avoid the row that occurred in Qatar over the ‘OneLove’ armband, with the captains of the nations involved threatened with a yellow card if the bands were worn.
The armbands were viewed by FIFA as a potent symbol of tolerance in a country where same-sex relationships were criminalised, but LeThi, an advocate of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, questioned why the same should apply this time.
She added: “It didn’t surprise me at all because there are obviously politics behind it as well. It was completely disappointing that so many big sports organisations caved in to not supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
“Just the same with the trans exclusion we have just seen with World Athletics recently.
“There is no reason why they can’t this time. Australia has inclusion and equality for the community so they can’t make excuses around sensitivity there.”
England head coach Sarina Wiegman revealed last week the team were happy with the ‘Unite’ armband solution, but captain Millie Bright has not yet announced if she will wear one armband or alternate for the different cause being highlighted in each round of matches.
Injured Euro 2022-winning captain Leah Williamson had signalled in February her intention to this summer wear the contentious ‘OneLove’ armband – which become symbolic for the LGBTQ+ community last winter – but sanctions would be issued for wearing it or any other unsanctioned band, the PA news agency understands.
England men’s captain Harry Kane wore a rainbow-coloured armband during their Euro 2020 last-16 tie with Germany two years ago and LeThi would like Bright to wear the OneLove armband in their World Cup opener against Haiti on Saturday.
View this post on Instagram“The UK prides itself on equality and inclusion. We have just had London Pride where nearly three million people attended, you have LGBTQ+ athletes as part of this team, there isn’t any reason why they can’t wear it.
“When you think about it, it is just an armband with some bright colours on it. Where is the problem?
“Regardless of what FIFA has come up with, I think teams should come out wearing the OneLove armband because it would make such a statement.”
FIFA has been approached for comment.
LA Galaxy test not ‘David against Goliath’ for Minnesota, claims Ramsay
Minnesota United head coach Eric Ramsay believes this season has already been a success for his side, no matter the result of their Western Conference semi-final against the LA Galaxy.
The Loons are the lowest-ranked side left on the West side of the MLS playoff bracket after finishing sixth in the regular season, though have impressed in the postseason so far.
They edged Real Salt Lake in their best-of-three series, winning both games on penalties, though come into their encounter with the Galaxy as the underdogs from the outside.
However, Ramsay does not see it that way, believing that his players could cause an upset this weekend.
“There is, of course, a level of satisfaction, but I think it’s difficult to do that until you know how everything pans out,” Ramsay said. “I’ve tried not to think too much beyond the upcoming game and sort of take the balance of the season as a whole once that’s done.
“But I don’t think anyone can deny that relative to the circumstances and the expectations that we’ve had a really good year and sort of anything from this point onwards set against what was talked about prior to the season would, of course, be a bonus.”
“That’s not to say that I don’t feel nor expect us to go another step beyond because, if I look at our form at the moment, I do feel we’re a good match up for anyone in the league.
“There’s absolutely no way that we’re going into this game feeling as though it’s David against Goliath, and we’re huge underdogs, and you’ve got a 20% chance of winning the game. That’s just not how we look at it. So I’m trying to, again, balance those two perspectives.”
LA Galaxy, meanwhile, swept aside the Colorado Rapids in their best-of-three series, helped by the influential Gabriel Pec, who has starred in his first season in the MLS.
The Brazilian has 37 goals involvements (19 goals, 18 assists) so far this season, with his 61 chances created, a total only bettered by Riqui Puig (63) this campaign.
And Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney is confident he can help lead his team all the way to glory this term after seeing first-hand the improvements he has made.
“I’ve seen the evolution on the field,” he said. “When he first came there was a lot of stress. You could tell he came from a club [where] winning and losing and producing were heavy.
“I saw a player who had unique talents and then inside of that some really, really great talent that needs to come out.”
“When we watched video of him, the interesting thing was when he was scoring goals, he was constantly ending up inside the box. So the question was ‘how do we get this guy inside the box more often?’
“What’s been great about him is he’s just had a lot of open-mindedness to develop different parts of his game.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Puig has also been in fine form for the Galaxy, registering 14 goal involvements (eight goals, six assists) in his last eight games for the club in all competitions.
He scored twice in each of the Galaxy’s two wins over Colorado in the first round, the fourth player in MLS history, and third for the Galaxy, to score multiple goals in consecutive matches in a single postseason, something no player has done in three straight playoff matches.
Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah
Yeboah has been one of the standout players in the MLS since joining Minnesota from Serie A side Genoa in July, and he will be looking to continue that form this weekend.
He set up Joseph Rosales for the Loons’ only goal in their first round series against Real Salt Lake. Yeboah (five goals, two assists) has been involved in seven of Minnesota’s last 12 goals (excluding own goals) dating back to mid-September.
MATCH PREDICTION: LA GALAXY WIN
This will be the second postseason meeting between the Galaxy and Minnesota after LA knocked the Loons out in Minnesota in the first round in 2019. The Galaxy have also lost only one of their seven all-time home matches against Minnesota (W4 D2).
The Galaxy scored nine times in their two first-round matches against Colorado, equalling the most goals scored in a span of two playoff matches in MLS history. No team has scored more than 12 goals in a span of three matches in a single postseason before (Toronto in 2016, San Jose Earthquakes in 2003).
Minnesota won on penalties in both matches against Real Salt Lake in the first round, becoming the fourth team in MLS history to win multiple penalty shoot-outs in a single postseason (Real Salt Lake 2009, New York City FC 2021, Seattle Sounds 2024). No team has won three shoot-outs in a single postseason.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 50.8%
Draw – 24.9%
Minnesota United – 24.2%
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
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