The Dutch football association KNVB is planning to revive its ‘OneLove’ campaign later this month, after a roll out across the World Cup in Qatar was scuppered by Fifa.

The KNVB is calling on team captains from both the professional and amateur leagues to wear the armband on the weekend of March 17-19, when the International Day against Racism and Discrimination takes place.

The rainbow armbands were last worn in October and caused upset when two Eredivisie captains  – Orkun Kökçü (Feyenoord) and Redouan El Yaakoubi (Excelsior) – refused to wear them.

Feyenoord captain Orkun Kökcü refused to wear the armband, citing religious considerations, while Excelsior captain Redouan El Yaakoubi wore an alternative on his arm, with the statement ‘respect’.

‘It is your right not to take part and we are not aiming at everyone wearing the armband,’ a KNVB spokesman said on Thursday. ‘But the more, the merrier.’

The KNVB and other clubs dropped plans to wear the armband during World Cup games after Fifa said players would be given a yellow card for doing so. Despite initially standing firm, the KNVB eventually backed down.

Launched in 2020, the OneLove campaign aims to promote the idea that ‘everyone in football should be able to be themselves’ and to ‘support everyone who feels discriminated against across the world.’