FIFA to scrap poppy ban
The move comes 10 months after the Scottish FA was fined for players wearing the symbol of remembrance.
FIFA has backed down in its row with the Scottish FA and other home nations over the wearing of poppies by players in international matches.
Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales were all fined by FIFA for ignoring warnings not to commemorate Armistice Day during their World Cup qualifiers last November.
FIFA's stance - based on a strict interpretation of its laws against the use of personal, political or religious slogans or symbols - sparked widespread condemnation in Britain, with Prime Minister Theresa May calling it "utterly outrageous'' in Parliament.
But now, 10 months after a FIFA disciplinary panel dished out those fines, football's world governing body has sent its member associations new guidance on law four, the section of the game's rule book on what players can wear.
In the document, which Press Association Sport has seen, FIFA says certain "initiatives'' may appear on players' kits, along with the usual name, number, team crest and so on.
The document does not provide much clarity on what these initiatives'' might be but says they cannot breach law 12, which refers to foul play and abusive language, and restates law four's existing criteria which rule out wearing "personal'' or "religious...slogans, statements or images''.
This leaves "political'', which FIFA admits "is less clear'', although it obviously rules out slogans and symbols related to political parties and governments.
It adds: "When commemorating a significant national or international event, the sensibilities of the opposing team (including its supporters) and the general public should be carefully considered.''
What this means in practice is that a team that wants to wear poppies on their shirts to mark Armistice Day, can do so, providing they get their opponents' permission and inform the organisers of the match.
It is understood that the fines levied to Scottish FA was not paid and will now simply be forgotten.
Prior to the games, which included Scotland's tie against England at Wembley, FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura wrote to say no "exceptions'' would be made to the law, as "Britain is not only country that has been suffering from the result of war''.
This view was repeated a month later, when the fines were dished out, by the disciplinary panel's Claudio Sulser who said: "In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else.''
These statements were given short shrift here, though, with both ends of the political spectrum united in their criticism of an organisation that is still fighting to restore its own reputation after the recent corruption scandals