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Wales to wear black armbands against Serbia after poppy request denied

Wales play Serbia at Cardiff City Stadium at 7.45pm on Saturday
Wales play Serbia at Cardiff City Stadium at 7.45pm on Saturday

Wales will wear black armbands in their World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Saturday after FIFA rejected a request to have poppies on their shirts.

The Football Association of Wales had wanted to wear poppies on the shirts as a mark of remembrance on Armistice weekend, as England and Scotland are doing in their World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Friday.

But FIFA says the wearing of poppies falls under banned messages that it considers commercial, personal, political or religious, and the FAW have decided not to defy football's world governing body over the issue.

"FIFA has turned down a request made by the FAW for the Wales national team to wear poppies on their shirts or armbands," said an FAW statement.

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