FIFA has assured fans that LGBTQ+ rainbow colors are allowed in Qatar’s World Cup stadiums. This was announced following an exchange with the Football Association of Wales which tweeted, “FIFA has confirmed that fans with Rainbow Wall bucket hats and rainbow flags will be allowed entry to the stadium for @Cymru’s match against Iran on Friday.” Confirmation also comes via The Independent which said FIFA told World Cup federations that the rainbow flag will “not be prohibited.”
The confirmation from FIFA follows a series of incidents in which fans wearing rainbow flag clothing were denied entry to the stadium because of their attire. A U.S. journalist was told he had to change his rainbow flag T-shirt; former Welsh footballer Laura McAllister and FAW members were forced to remove their rainbow bucket hats.
Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment in Qatar, which is one of the many reasons the country is a controversial choice as World Cup host But despite assurances from World Cup officials that LGBTQ+ expression would be allowed, it’s clear this hasn’t always been enforced. In addition to denial of entry for LGBTQ+ clothing, FIFA said it would penalize teams that wear LGBTQ+ armbands, which prompted seven European teams to remove the bands from their uniforms. FIFA has been criticized for failing to follow up on its promises that the World Cup is welcome to everyone.
As the first week of the World Cup comes to a close, the question remains: Can we expect to see more rainbow-colored expression in the stadiums? Or will there be more empty promises?
