First Nations flags will fly at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand for the first time when the tournament starts on 20 July.
Fifa has confirmed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags will be displayed at all matches in Australia, while the Māori flag, Tino Rangatiratanga, will be flown at games in New Zealand.
Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said the body acknowledged the flags “express a spirit of mutual respect, national identity and recognition of Indigenous cultures for our hosts”.
The Matildas had been hoping for clarification on the flag issue after Fifa announced eight approved armbands last week, including one supporting Indigenous peoples.
The team, which includes Noongar woman Lydia Williams and Anaiwan and Biripi woman Kyah Simon, displayed the Aboriginal flag before a match against New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics.
Williams has spoken about the importance of recognising Indigenous cultures in sport and her hope for increased visibility for First Nations athletes.
The head of Football Australia, James Johnson, welcomed Fifa’s decision on the joint request from Australia and New Zealand and said it would be “an enduring symbol of what will be the biggest and most successful Fifa Women’s World Cup in history”.
“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’s chief executive, Andrew Pragnell, said hosting the World Cup “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”.
“Flying Tino Rangatiratanga at the tournament alongside the official country flag is a powerful symbol, reflecting the partnership between the crown and Māori that is the foundation of this country.”
Fifa has also this week instructed referees at the World Cup to explain the reasoning behind on-field review decisions to the crowd and TV audience, as well as continue to crack down on time wasting.
Referees will announce video assistant referee (VAR) decisions over the loudspeaker during games in the 2023 tournament, which Fifa said was in an effort to make decisions more transparent.
VAR decisions that do not require an on-field review, such as offside calls, will not be communicated verbally by the referee but graphic illustrations of tight calls will appear on big screens, with semiautomated offside technology in use at these finals.
Referees are also under instruction to clamp down on time wasting, just as they were at the men’s finals in Qatar last year.
Fifa has told referees that delays to play caused by substitutions, treatment to injured players, goal celebrations and VAR interventions should be added on at the end of each half.
Referees will be proactive at restarts in play such as free kicks, throw-ins and corners, and to enforce the six-second rule governing how long a goalkeeper can hold on to the ball before releasing it.
The game’s lawmakers have sought to clamp down on goalkeepers attempting to distract penalty-takers in a shootout, following the antics of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in the men’s World Cup final against France.
A referee would initially give a warning, followed by a yellow card, followed by a red if the initial warning is not heeded.
