The U.S. Soccer Federation voted Wednesday to repeal Policy 604-1, which required men's and women's national team members to stand during the national anthem. The policy was enacted in 2017 in response to kneeling protests, most notably via USWNT's Megan Rapinoe.
Amid worldwide protests against racial inequality and police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody on May 25, the U.S. Soccer Federation has recanted its original stance, with president Cindy Parlow Cone telling ESPN FC's Dan Thomas on Thursday that the organization "missed the point completely" with Policy 604-1:
"Well, the protests definitely galvanized our thinking on the issue.