England supporters attending the World Cup opener against Croatia at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday may have their flags confiscated, according to reports. The England Supporters Club (ESC) has been informed by stadium officials that fans will not be permitted to hang flags over the LED advertising boards surrounding the pitch. Only small flags will be allowed into the ground, and these must be attached to rails behind the goals.
Flag restrictions and safety concerns
The ESC has arranged for several large banners and flags to be displayed behind the goals, but casual supporters attempting to bring a flag into the stadium are likely to have them seized. Fifa sources have stated that the ban on hanging flags over LED signage is due to "safety and security reasons."
This policy has already affected other fans. Dutch and Japanese supporters had flags confiscated at Dallas Stadium during the 2-2 draw on Sunday, although no such issues have been reported at other venues.
Fifa's guidelines on flags
Fifa's tournament guide for fans specifies: "Small flags, banners and posters made of a fire-resistant material are allowed in the stadium. Larger flags, banners, posters or instruments must be approved in advance." Additionally, Fifa prohibits flags "that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature." On Monday, a court in Los Angeles upheld Fifa's decision to prevent Iran supporters from bringing the pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag into matches, classifying it as a political symbol.
Inconsistent enforcement criticized
Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, who attended the first game in Dallas, criticized the lack of consistency in enforcing Fifa's guidelines. "You were not really allowed to bring a flag in, or at least to show it, which is inconsistent with most Fifa rules and regulations, but also what was allowed at previous tournaments," Evain said. "Most of the flags were removed by the staff."
Evain noted that at many stadiums, flag policies have not been problematic, making it difficult to understand the actual policy versus local staff improvisation. "The broader problem – and I think it’s a demonstration of how much Fifa has little control over this tournament – is that there’s no consistent rule, and when you look at what Fifa has published, there’s a code of conduct that is very broad," he added. "But it never clarified a lot of things, like what sort of symbols are allowed and not allowed? Are you able to bring a flag of your region or city or club? A lot of this is still up in the air, and I think there’s a bit of learning by the venues, but also, again, inconsistency."
