Overview
- The flag featuring Barrow AFC’s club badge and a submarine silhouette was rejected by FIFA and could not be displayed during England’s 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday because the submarine was deemed military imagery.
- FIFA requires prior approval of all flags at World Cup matches and its policy bars weapons or military equipment, though it told the group it would approve the design if the submarine were obscured and the application resubmitted.
- Barrow AFC responded on X by posting a blurred version of the badge as a joke, and the fan who submitted the flag, John Little, said he found the ban harsh and plans to tape over the submarine and try again for England’s next match.
- Hundreds of other England flags were approved for the tournament while this design was singled out, illustrating how FIFA’s strict enforcement can clash with locally meaningful symbols.
- The submarine on Barrow’s crest reflects the town’s shipbuilding and submarine‑building history, and the incident may lead to more edited submissions and questions about how global event rules treat civic imagery.