English football will ditch minute’s silences for global disasters following agreement that the gestures are losing their impact, a new report has claimed.
According to The Timesonly international incidents with clear ties to football will warrant gestures across the football leagues, with a working group accepting that tributes were becoming too commonplace, as well as inconsistent.
In recent years, tributes have been held across grounds out of respect for the victims of an earthquake in Morocco, as well as a flooding disaster in Libya.
But last month only Manchester United, Manchester City, Bolton and Salford City paid tribute to victims of the synagogue knife attack in the city, serving as evidence of football’s new approach.
The World Events Working Group (WEWG), which is made up of club representatives from the four professional football leagues and three football bodies, was launched in 2024 to provide guidance on decision making for leagues and the FA.
The FA is also following the same guidance with regards to the Wembley arch. The national stadium has faced criticism from Jewish leaders over supposed inconsistency after failing to light up its arch in support of Israel following the October 7 terror attacks, even though it had previously lit the arch in solidarity with Ukraine.
Football will abandon meaningless minute’s silences following criticism over an ‘inconsistent’ approach. Pictured: Players pay tribute to victims of disasters in Libya and Morocco
Wembley’s iconic arch will also only be lit in support of global issues with a link to sport
In a similar vein to the new minute’s silence approach, the arch lighting will only take place where there is a strong sporting connection with a global event.
But there will be greater flexibility for promoters who use the national stadium for non-football events. Coldplay lit the arch in yellow for a concert, while the arch turned green and white – Saudi Arabia’s national colours – when the national anthem was played before Anthony Joshua’s fight with Daniel Dubois last year.
Protests around the Israel-Palestine war has increased tension among football decision makers, and the WEWG will now always issue guidance on the game’s response to international issues.
However, the WEWG does not address gestures like taking a knee – which is a player-led initiative.
The new guidance will not affect football’s approach to Remembrance Sunday. Many clubs saw their players lose their lives during the First and Second World War, and football shirts will adorn the poppy this weekend to remember them.
For incidents such as the death of a monarch, the government will provide guidance. When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, matches were cancelled and tributes were paid across the country.
