FIFA called for “tolerance, mutual respect and common sense” in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of U.S. Soccer's decision to retract the policy that would require players to stand for the national anthem.
U.S. Soccer confirmed over the weekend that the federation would be getting rid of the policy, which had been in place since Megan Rapinoe's decision to support Colin Kaepernick's protests of kneeling during the national anthem to combat police brutality and racism.
Trump, a highly-publicised critic of both Kaepernick and Rapinoe, said that he "won't be watching", adding that he also would avoid the NFL should players choose to kneel.