Poppies are traditionally worn in Britain and Northern Ireland as a symbol of those who died in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts.

They are also worn by many in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and many other countries.

Last year, FIFA fined the Football Associations (FAs) from the United Kingdom's four nations for wearing armbands with poppies, deeming them to be "political symbols" and against their rules.

Prime Minister Theresa May said at the time that the FIFA stance was "utterly outrageous".

"Our football players want to recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security," she said. 

"I think it is absolutely right that they should be able to do so."

However, revised proposals will now allow poppies to be worn if the opposing teams and organising bodies agree.

It is understood the rules could be implemented before November's international games, which include the period around Armistice Day, November 11.

Poppy wearing in Britain traditionally starts around late October to early November.

England are due to play Germany in a friendly at London's Wembley stadium during that time and it is has been reported that the German FA have no difficulties with the wearing of poppies.

English players are now expected to either wear armbands with a poppy on them or have the poppy embroidered on their shirts in the same way as Premier League teams.

The International Football Association Board, the guardian organisation of the sport's laws, is expected to approve the amendment in early October and it is now thought that the four UK FAs will no longer need to pay fines.

The new definition of "political symbols" relates to commemorating particular individuals or having emblems of political parties, Governments, discriminatory organisations, political events or groups which would cause offence to a notable number of people.

British Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said she was pleased that "FIFA is finally going to apply common sense and change its position on poppies".

In 2011, FIFA  backed down after threatening to ban the England team from wearing poppies in a friendly against Spain, allowing them to display the symbol on black armbands. 

That came after Prince William, the President of the FA, and the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, wrote to FIFA demanding the ban be lifted.

The poppy is not the only emblem which has attracted FIFA's attention in this regard.

In 2016 it began disciplinary proceedings against the Football Association of Ireland over players in a friendly game with Switzerland wearing a logo to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.

Iran has been fined for "religiously motivated displays" during a match.