England Fans Face FIFA's Submarine Flag Ban at World Cup

The World Cup has barely begun to rumble into life, yet England fans have already run into a different kind of opposition — from Fifa’s rulebook.

A group of Barrow supporters planning to follow England on the road were left stunned when officials ruled their St George’s flag unacceptable because it featured a submarine.

The flag, designed to celebrate both country and hometown, carried England’s cross, the Barrow club badge and a silhouette of a submarine – a nod to the Cumbrian town’s long association with shipbuilding and naval vessels. For the fans, it was local pride stitched into red and white.

For Fifa, it was a breach of policy.

When the group applied for permission to display the flag inside World Cup stadiums, the governing body rejected the request, citing its ban on “imagery of weapons or military” on items brought into grounds. The submarine, they were told, fell squarely into that category.

Fan John Little could barely believe it.

He called the decision “harsh” and pointed out the obvious: “It’s not like you can go down to the local Walmart and buy a submarine is it.” The vessel, for Barrow, is an identity marker, not a threat.

Little, who is travelling to Boston for England’s match against Ghana on Tuesday, said the ruling had left the group bemused.

“I couldn’t believe it really, it’s a little bit harsh that they’ve done it for something like that,” he said. “I could understand like guns and knives and what have you, but not a submarine.

“People are just saying how ridiculous it is that they’re not allowing the flag.”

The process is clear enough. Any supporter wanting to hang a flag inside a World Cup venue must submit an application and wait for Fifa’s approval. Most pass without fuss. This one did not.

In a response seen by the BBC and sent to the group’s representative, Fifa explained its stance in stark terms: “The application was rejected because the item includes imagery of weapons or military (submarine). These are not permitted under FIFA policy. We would be happy to approve, if you were willing and able to submit again with the imagery covered up.”

So the fans now face a choice: alter their tribute or leave it at home.

Fifa has told them they can cover up the submarine and resubmit the application, a compromise Little says they will attempt, even if it dulls the local flavour of their banner.

The World Cup is built on colour, noise and identity. For one pocket of England’s support, that identity has just been ordered to stay below the surface.