UK footballers ask FIFA for permission to display poppy

The football associations of the four U.K. home nations will ask FIFA for permission to display poppy emblems in international games scheduled for next month.

The decision by the England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland football associations came after a law change by FIFA last month permitting players to wear the poppy if opposing teams and organizers also agreed.

The football associations had been fined for displaying the poppy on team shirts in games played last year.

Worn as a symbol of wartime remembrance in Britain and a number of other Western countries in the week leading to Remembrance Sunday, the poppy fell foul of FIFA rules which say players cannot display political, religious or commemorative symbols on their kit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May last year condemned FIFA for its "utterly outrageous" ban on wearing symbolic poppies in international matches.

"Our football players want to recognize and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security. I think it is absolutely right that they should be able to do so," May told lawmakers in parliament.

The Republic of Ireland was also fined the equivalent of €4,700 ($5,460) after Irish players wore a commemorative symbol to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in a game against Switzerland in March last year.

Northern Ireland will host Switzerland in the first leg of a clash for the 2018 World Cup and Scotland will face the Netherlands in a friendly on Thursday, Nov. 9.

England will take on Germany at Wembley and Wales will go to France on Friday, Nov. 10.

Remembrance Sunday will be observed on Nov. 12. The day will also mark the 99th anniversary of the end of fighting in the First World War.