Germany protests FIFA ban of 'OneLove' armband with gesture ahead of World Cup opener

It was reported on Monday that FIFA threatened to issue yellow cards to any player wearing the anti-discrimination apparel. FIFA will, however, allow players to wear "No Discrimination" armbands during the World Cup, beginning in the quarterfinals.

According to a report from The Athletic, Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser sported the 'OneLove' armband as she took in the action on Wednesday.

After having initial plans to wear the armbands, players from England, Germany, the Netherlands, and other European nations switched gears when FIFA announced the possible forthcoming penalties.

"The day before the tournament began, FIFA launched their own armband initiative. Captains were asked to wear a different armband on each match day, promoting social messages such as 'Football unites the world' and 'Share the meal' in a United Nations-backed campaign," the Athletic reported.

Qatar -- the host country of the World Cup -- has been heavily criticized due to its human rights records and its anti-LGBTQ+ stances.

Germany went into halftime with a 1-0 edge over Japan thanks to a goal in the 33rd minute by Ilkay Gundogan.