England’s Harry Kane will join the other captains of European nations at the World Cup by wearing an armband with “One Love” on it as an anti-discrimination gesture.
Captains of the UEFA representatives heading to Qatar have spent months discussing possible methods of support for minority groups ahead of the tournament in Qatar and have settled on a campaign which will begin for England with Friday’s Nations League game away to Italy and continue to the end of the season.
Wales' Gareth Bale will also wear the armband along with the skippers of Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
“I am honoured to join my fellow national team captains in supporting the important OneLove campaign,” Kane said. “As captains we may all be competing against each other on the pitch, but we stand together against all forms of discrimination. This is even more relevant at a time when division is common in society. Wearing the armband together on behalf of our teams will send a clear message when the world is watching.”
In a statement explaining the gesture, the Football Association also said that it believes families of migrant workers who were injured or killed while constructing stadiums in Qatar should be compensated - but, crucially, stopped short of demanding FIFA provide a fund that matches the tournament's prize money despite pressure from campaign groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
“We are coming together as a group to wear the OneLove armband until the end of the season as a visible show of support for inclusion in football - something we strongly believe in and have consistently supported,” FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said.
“Along with the other members of the UEFA Working Group on Human rights, we are pushing FIFA for an update on the concept of a Migrant Workers’ Centre in Qatar, to provide advice and help for migrant workers. It is clear that Qatar has brought in progressive legislation in the last few years to give workers rights, so this concept will help this legislation to take effect.
"We have met a variety of workers in Qatar on our visits to the country and whilst they recognise the substantial progress there are areas in which further support would make a huge difference.
“We continue to push for the principle of compensation for the families of migrant workers who have lost their lives or have been injured in construction projects. Again, we are pushing FIFA for an update on the compensation fund which has been consistently referenced as a safety net where workers and their families have been unable to secure compensation from the construction companies.”
England will invite migrant workers to the team's hotel during the tournament to learn about their experiences but the FA remains keen to stress that "progress has been made in Qatar since the awarding of the tournament." Campaigners estimate that more than 6,500 workers have died during the construction of infrastructure.
