In one instance, a Brazilian journalist had his phone seized after authorities mistook the rainbow on his state flag (Pernambuco) for an LGBTQ+ symbol. Viral Misinformation

FIFA explicitly prohibited team captains from seven European nations from wearing "OneLove" rainbow armbands, threatening yellow cards for any player who did so.

Protesters and magazines created Snapchat filters like "Pride Nation" that digitally transformed any flag into a rainbow flag via AR, allowing fans to show solidarity safely.

There were numerous reports of security personnel seizing rainbow-colored bucket hats from Welsh fans and rainbow-themed clothing from journalists.

By April 2022, a senior security official suggested that rainbow flags might be confiscated as a "safety measure" to protect fans from potential anti-LGBTQ+ altercations with other spectators.