Thursday 29 December 2016 20:08, UK
England and Scotland will wear black armbands bearing poppies for their clash at Wembley, despite FIFA insisting the ruling over 'political' symbols would not be changed.
The two countries go head-to-head in London in their World Cup Qualifier on November 11, Armistice Day, and there had been hopes that players would wear commemorative shirts.
According to football's international governing body, teams must not display political, religious or commercial symbols on their kit.
It's a ruling that was described as "utterly outrageous" by Theresa May at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday as she defended the players' right to wear special kits.
In the rugby world, though, it was announced England will wear jerseys imprinted with poppies in their autumn series opener against South Africa at Twickenham on November 12, live on Sky Sports 1, - with the full support of World Rugby.
With FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura in London on Wednesday night for a dinner with football's governing bodies, saying the ruling would remain, the FA outlined their intentions.
A FA statement read: "We fully respect the laws of the game and take our founding role on the International Football Association Board extremely seriously.
"The poppy is an important symbol of remembrance and we do not believe it represents a political, religious or commercial message, nor does it relate to any one historical event.
"In keeping with the position agreed with FIFA back in 2011 and in what we believe is in accordance with Law 4, para 4, The FA intend to pay appropriate tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by having the England team wear black armbands bearing poppies in our fixture on Armistice Day."
Its Scottish counterpart issued an almost identical statement of its own to say their players would also wear armbands.
A similar row escalated in 2011 ahead of an international between Spain and England when Prince William, the president of the FA, and the then Prime Minister David Cameron wrote to FIFA to voice their displeasure.
FIFA eventually relented and allowed England players to wear poppies on black armbands after initially threatening to ban the team from competing.
Speaking on Wednesday night, Samoura, the second most powerful player at FIFA, said: "Britain is not the only country that have been suffering from the result of war.
"Syria is an example. My own continent [Africa] has been torn by war for years. And the only question is why are we doing an exception for one just one country and not the rest of the world."
A spokesperson for FIFA later added: "FIFA fully respects the significance of commemorating Remembrance Day on 11 November each year.
"The Laws of the Game are overseen by the International Football Association Board (composed of the four British FAs and FIFA) and applicable to all 211 member associations.
"The relevant Law 4, para. 4, clearly states that the players equipment should not carry any political, religious or commercial messages.
"The Laws are applied uniformly in the event of similar requests by any member association to commemorate similar historical events."
These words will not sit comfortably with the Prime Minister who earlier in the day laid into the stance.
She told MPs in Parliament: "Our football players want to recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security. I think it is absolutely right that they should be able to do so."
And in a direct message to FIFA, which has been plagued by corruption allegations, she added: "Before they start telling us what to do, they jolly well ought to sort their own house out."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added: "It is important that people are able to mark Armistice Day, and nothing in what has been proposed should be seen as political. I hope a solution can still be found which allows the poppy to be worn."
