European countries back down on wearing rainbow armbands at World Cup: The national teams of England, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland have scrapped plans to wear rainbow armbands in solidarity with the LGBT community on the field in Qatar, after FIFA threatened sanctions against captains that could include yellow cards. “As national federations, we can’t put our players in a position where they could face sporting sanctions including bookings, so we have asked the captains not to attempt to wear the armbands in FIFA World Cup games,” the seven football associations said in a joint statement. The teams had hoped to wear the “OneLove” armbands to highlight their support for inclusion in football, against the backdrop of the tournament being held in Qatar, where same-sex marriage is illegal, Bloomberg writes.

The move could have long-term consequences for FIFA’s ties with Europe: The Dutch football association said that “together with the other countries involved, we will take a critical look at our relationship with FIFA in the coming period.”

This is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding this year’s World Cup: Host Qatar has been criticized for everything from its human rights record to the treatment of migrant workers in the lead-up to the tournament. European nations have raised concerns about the treatment of LGBT fans in the country, while sponsors were rattled by a last-minute decision to ban alcohol in stadiums, potentially breaching Budweiser’s contract with FIFA.

---

Change your job to change your life? It might be a little more complicated than that, the Financial Times reports. Talk of the ‘Great Resignation’ is everywhere as more people reportedly quit high-paying positions to pursue creative, passion-driven careers. The general narrative is that the pandemic has inspired a kind of global midlife crisis, pushing people to think about what really matters to them and ditch their jobs in pursuit of a deeper purpose. But quitting work outright doesn’t necessarily mean a brighter future ahead — and takes a serious financial cushion, whether through savings or a high-earning partner, the FT notes.

You don’t like your job — but do you know what you do like? Workers are commonly “dissatisfied with their current role but unsure about an alternative,” Lucy Standing, founder of professional advice nonprofit Brave Starts tells the FT. That means a leap of faith into unemployment may not be the wisest step. Instead, employees should consider building a new career as a hobby or side-hustle in tandem with their current job, or taking a more gradual step into part-time or flexible work.

Employers are missing a trick on recruiting midlife career-switchers: As it becomes more common for people to work in many different jobs and fields over the course of their careers, companies should make it easier for midlife professionals to test out new tracks rather than focusing solely on luring fresh graduates, the FT suggests.