Indigenous flags of Australia and New Zealand will be flown at all Women’s World Cup games, after FIFA approved a request from Australia and New Zealand football organisations.
Australia’s national flag, the Australian Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag will be displayed at the 35 matches played in Australia.
And the Maori flag known as Tino Rangatiratanga will fly alongside the New Zealand national flag at the 29 matches in New Zealand.
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“These significant flags express a spirit of mutual respect, national identity, and recognition of Indigenous cultures for our hosts,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Friday.
Football Australia chief executive officer James Johnson described the approval as an “important moment for all Australians, particularly First Nations people.”
“This decision aligns with the values of our organisation with diversity and inclusion at the core of what we are about as a governing body and our vision for the tournament,” he said.
New Zealand Football chief executive officer Andrew Pragnell also applauded the approval from FIFA.
“Hosting… provides an opportunity to shape the way the tournament evolves and interacts with its hosts in future editions, and in particular in recognising the rights of Indigenous people worldwide,” he said.
“Flying Tino Rangatiratanga at the tournament alongside the official country flag is a powerful symbol.”
