FIFA World Cup Season Brings Back A Familiar Question: Can Muslims Wear Jerseys With A Cross?

Jerseys from six World Cup nations — Norway, Belgium, Sweden, Brazil, Portugal and Switzerland — have been flagged for carrying cross symbols on their crests. Brazil and Portugal, two of the most popular national team shirts in Malaysia, are among them.

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In Brief

Malaysian religious authorities have ruled it haram for Muslims to wear items displaying religious symbols, including crosses, in daily life.
State-level bodies like the Selangor Mufti Department consistently advise Muslims against wearing apparel bearing crosses.
Scholars clarify that prayers remain valid if performed in such garments, but wearing the symbol itself is considered sinful.

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It is a question that resurfaces every football season — and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup now underway, it is making the rounds again

Can a Muslim wear a football shirt that has a cross on it?

In Malaysia, religious authorities have a clear answer: no.

The National Fatwa Committee for Islamic Religious Affairs in Malaysia has ruled that Muslims are forbidden from wearing items that display symbols of other religions — including the cross — when those symbols are visible and clear.

The ruling is not limited to prayer; wearing such items in daily life is also considered haram, as it is seen as promoting or endorsing symbols of another faith.