England and Scotland request to wear poppies on armbands 'rejected' by Fifa, says Scottish FA

Scottish FA chief Stewart Regan has said that Fifa rejected the request and is 'sticking to the letter of the law'

The political debate surrounding the poppy has once again erupted (Getty)

Fifa has rejected the request for England and Scotland players to wear armbands featuring poppies on Armistice Day, the Scottish Football Association has said.

Current Fifa rules forbid players from wearing the poppy on their shirts due its perceived symbol as a political statement.

While the poppy is commonly worn by footballers in the Premier League each year, they are not allowed in international matches unless permission is granted by Fifa.

With England scheduled to play Scotland in a World Cup qualifier on Armistice Day, 11 November, the English and Scottish football associations had requested a special dispensation permitting their players to wear poppies.

But SFA chief Stewart Regan said Fifa has rejected the request and is "sticking to the letter of the law".

As a result, Regan remarked that he and FA chief executive Martin Glenn would be meeting Fifa officials on Thursday to further discuss the issue.

"We will be asking for their support to try to give the people of England and Scotland what they want," Regan told BBC Radio 5 live.

"That is to use this match of a way of remembering people who lost their lives in the war.

"I can understand why they are doing this, but it is nothing more than a mark of respect. It is a personal choice. This is not about making some political point."

England's players have worn armbands with printed poppies in the past, most recently for their friendly against Spain in November 2011 after a compromise was reached with Fifa.

A spokesman for the English Football Association said: "We are working closely with the Royal British Legion once again this year to honour and remember the sacrifices made by those serving in the armed forces.

"In recent weeks, the FA has led remembrance discussions with Fifa to allow the England team to show its support for the Poppy Appeal during the World Cup qualifier with Scotland."

England are top of their 2018 World Cup qualifying group with seven points from three games. Group F rivals Scotland are fourth with four points.