English Football Association to honor Palestinian and Israeli victims at Wembley Stadium

Flags and shirts showing support for victims of tache Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be allowed for England's games against Australia and Italy at Wembley, the FA said on Thursday. (Social media/File)
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Updated 12 October 2023
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English Football Association to honor Palestinian and Israeli victims at Wembley Stadium

  • Plans do not include lighting up the national stadium’s iconic arch in the colors of Israel’s flag, despite increasing calls to do so: FA
  • England and Australia players will wear black armbands

LONDON: The English Football Association will pay tribute to the Israeli and Palestinian victims of the war in the Middle East when England hosts Australia in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
Plans, however, do not include lighting up the national stadium’s iconic arch in the colors of Israel’s flag, despite increasing calls to do so, the FA said Thursday.
The England and Australia teams will wear black armbands and observe a moment of silence before kick off.
“We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering,” the FA said.
The soccer body also said it would only permit “flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality” for the nations competing on Friday. The same rules will apply when England hosts Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.
Wembley’s arch has been lit up in the past in the colors of Ukraine’s flag after it was invaded by Russia and in the colors of Brazil when soccer great Pele died.


South Africa do not fear Salah or Marmoush, coach Broos says

Updated 25 December 2025
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South Africa do not fear Salah or Marmoush, coach Broos says

  • South Africa’s Belgian coach said he will not use a special approach to contain Salah or Marmoush
  • “We are focused on no one. The most important thing is ⁠the team,” Bross said

RABAT: Coach Hugo Broos said South Africa do not fear Egypt’s Premier League contingent, Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, ahead of their Group B clash in the Africa Cup of Nations on Friday.
Manchester City forward Marmoush scored the equalizer against Zimbabwe, before a late strike from Liverpool’s Salah secured a 2-1 win in their opening game in Morocco on Monday.
South Africa beat Angola by the ⁠same score in their Group B opener thanks to Lyle Foster’s screamer.
South Africa’s Belgian coach said he will not use a special approach to contain Salah or Marmoush.
“We are focused on no one. The most important thing is ⁠the team,” Bross, who led Cameroon to the 2017 edition title over Egypt, told a press conference on Thursday.
“We all know how good Salah is, we all know how good Marmoush is and we all know how good Trezeguet is and other players. They are such a good team. Why should we focus on one player? We ⁠have to be prepared to beat the team.”
The last meeting between the two sides in AFCON ended in South Africa’s favor, after they beat the hosts of the 2019 edition 1-0 in the Round of 16.
“We have to put Egypt in difficult (situations) and you can only do that when you use your quality and the players you normally use,” added Broos.