October 20, (THEWILL) – The English Premier League has prohibited Israeli or Palestinian flags from being shown during matches this upcoming weekend in an attempt to avoid potential incidents inside stadiums amid the highly divisive events unfolding.
The EFL in England’s three lower divisions has matched this move, outlawing flags that could provoke untoward reactions at all venues of football matches in the country.
In addition to this measure, players and officials will put on black armbands and observe a moment of silence before kick-offs to pay respect to the victims on both sides of the ongoing conflict.
The England FA had already taken a similar approach when the Three Lions hosted Italy at Wembley in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Tuesday night, while the clubs and security experts were consulted.
World leaders have visited Israel in recent days, while Liverpool star Mohamed Salah called for “humanity to prevail” in a powerful social media message the day after hundreds of people lost their lives at a Gaza City hospital following a massive explosion both sides have blamed on each other.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
