As the Lionesses prepare for their World Cup opener, the England players are currently deliberating on which of FIFA’s eight approved armbands Captain Millie Bright will wear, as revealed by midfielder Jordan Nobbs.
Earlier, there was controversy surrounding the rainbow ‘OneLove‘ armband, which led to the possibility of sanctions being imposed on countries, including England and Wales, during the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
To avoid any potential issues during the upcoming women’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA has collaborated with the United Nations to introduce officially sanctioned options.
These armbands can be interchanged or worn throughout the month-long event, ensuring a smooth and inclusive tournament. England’s campaign commences on Saturday with their match against Haiti.
Speaking from the Lionesses team hotel in Brisbane, Nobbs said: “We’ve had some brief conversations, but I think that will be discussed a little bit closer to the game.
“But obviously we know our values and equality etc, so that will be finally finalised soon.”
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.
Despite facing criticism, England boss Sarina Wiegman expressed her belief that her players are content with the resolution.
The squad, led by Wiegman, took to social media on Tuesday to release a joint statement, addressing their position on the ongoing discussions with the Football Association. These discussions cover various matters, including performance bonus payments and commercial structures.
In a message from the team posted by Bright, the Lionesses said they were “disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved” but would “pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament”.
Asked if the uncertainty ahead of England’s push for a first World Cup has been difficult, Nobbs replied: “I don’t think it’s difficult.
“I think we’ve had a lot of these conversations, probably over the last however many years, just not everything’s always seen by the public.
“I think together as a team we’re pausing the conversations to obviously focus on the World Cup, but we just want to keep growing the women’s game.
“[Compared to previous negotiations] we have a different group of players, the game’s grown so quickly. So I think conversations have been different, but I think it’s just been to try and fight in the right area of where the game is right now.
“So I think together, between the players and the FA, we’re just trying to go on the same path and obviously have questions between each other.
“It’s not just about money, it’s not just about care, or facilities, I think there’s so many areas we’re trying to grow.
“And we’re trying to obviously just do it in the way that the women’s game has grown as well. So I think it’s about us as a team believing in the next generation as well, having the best possible situation to play football.”
Nobbs has faced a career plagued by injuries, which kept her sidelined during several major tournaments. Back in 2015, she managed to play only one match in the World Cup held in Canada before suffering a hamstring problem.
Subsequently, a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) prevented her from participating in the 2019 World Cup in France, and a knee issue kept her out of England’s successful Euro 2022 campaign.
However, her daring decision to switch from Arsenal to Aston Villa during the January Women’s Super League transfer window proved to be fruitful. Her impressive performances caught the attention of Wiegman, leading to her selection for the squad heading to Australia. So far, she remains fit and healthy, ready to make her mark in the tournament.