England & Scotland defy Fifa and wear poppies in World Cup qualifier

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England and Scotland players wore black armbands bearing a poppy in their World Cup qualifier at Wembley despite Fifa not giving clearance for them to do so.

World football's governing body turned down a request by both teams to wear the poppy to mark Armistice Day.

Fifa said it had not "banned" the move but "reiterated" rules on displaying "political" statements on shirts.

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England and Scotland could now face a points deduction, a fine, or be penalised in both ways.

Wales, who also had a request to wear the poppy "turned down" by Fifa, will also wear plain black armbands when they face Serbia on Saturday. The Football Association of Wales said it could not risk a financial penalty or point deduction by defying the rules.

England shared this image on social media an hour before their World Cup qualifier started

What exactly are the rules and who makes them?

The poppy is a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in conflict.

Fifa states it does not make the rules regarding what tributes can be displayed by teams.

They point to the International Football Association Board - which is made up of the four British FAs and Fifa - as the body that outlines the rules.

Ifab states players cannot wear "political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images". If the body decides a breach has taken place, Fifa's disciplinary committee - which Fifa says is an independent body - will decide the punishment.

The Scottish Football Association believes Fifa is "misinterpreting the rules" and claims the poppy "is not a political statement".

The English FA says it will contest any fine and believes its "legal position is right and our moral position is right".

Why would tributes be banned?

Some fans at Wembley wore t-shirts to mark Armistice Day

Fifa's secretary general, Fatma Samoura, told BBC Sport last week: "We have to apply uniformly and across the 211 member associations the laws of the game.

"Britain is not the only country that has been suffering from the result of war. The only question is why are we doing exceptions for just one country and not the rest of the world?"

How has football reacted?

Poppy row needless argument for FA - Mills

England interim-manager Gareth Southgate said he wanted his side to wear the poppy, while Scotland captain Darren Fletcher said he thinks "everyone would love to wear the poppy".

But former Three Lions right-back Danny Mills believes the Football Association "has picked the wrong fight" and is "likely to get a fine".

The former Leeds player told BBC Breakfast: "Surely all of the money that has been spent on arguments, lawyers and the fine it may get from Fifa would have been much better being donated to the Royal British Legion. It would have done far more good than this needless argument.

What happens next?

The first stage in any disciplinary process that might follow Friday's game would be for Fifa's match commissioner at Wembley to make mention of the armbands in the official report.

The case would then go to the disciplinary committee, which would announce its decision within a few weeks.

The British FAs would have an opportunity to challenge any fine via Fifa's appeals process and have a further chance to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a course of action that would probably cost more than the fine.