England's Under-15s walked off and refused to finish their match against the Republic of Ireland at the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival on 26 October, after one of their players reported being racially abused by an opponent. The Group C game in Baku, Azerbaijan, was abandoned by the referee in the final minute with Ireland 4-1 up, The Guardian reported, and FIFA has confirmed it is investigating.
How the incident unfolded
The sequence below is based on the report by Ed Aarons for The Guardian:
- In the closing minute, footage showed an England player heading towards the bench after an altercation.
- He is believed to have alleged that an opponent called him a “monkey”, and he complained to the coaching staff.
- Head coach Matt Thorpe approached the referee, asked him to come over and then told his players to leave the field.
- One of England's assistant coaches told the referee: “We are reporting racism”, and said the team did not want to carry on.
- When a second official came over to discuss next steps, the assistant repeated that the players would not resume and said one of them was upset.
- Heated exchanges followed between the two coaching teams, with representatives of each side saying they were trying to protect their players.
FIFA refers the case to its disciplinary committee
A FIFA spokesperson said the governing body was “aware of an incident at the Under-15 World Cup and Festival match between England and the Republic of Ireland” and added: “The match was abandoned by the referee following England’s refusal to continue.” Official reports are being gathered, and the matter will go to FIFA's independent disciplinary committee, which will decide on any further action.
The Football Association has not commented. According to The Guardian, the FA is understood to be waiting for more information, is taking the matter seriously and is supporting the players and staff involved. The Football Association of Ireland has been contacted for comment.
A tournament Vietnam are also playing in
This is the first edition of the U15 World Cup, and Vietnam's Under-15s are among the teams taking part. Key figures, according to The Guardian:
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Countries and territories | 189 |
| Players | More than 3,000 |
| Matches | 950 |
| Minimum games per team | 9 |
| Format | Eight-a-side on smaller pitches, two 20-minute halves |
Before the tournament, FIFA described it as “unrivalled in scale or ambition”, and Arsène Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, said it would give “players from across the world the chance to compete, to learn and to grow”.
For Vietnamese fans, the incident took place at the same competition their own Under-15s are playing in. Vietnam have beaten Brunei 6-0 and Mauritius 4-1 at the event.
What's next
The outcome now rests with FIFA's independent disciplinary committee once the official reports are in. On the pitch, England had won their three previous games, against Cambodia, Montenegro and Nicaragua, and were scheduled to face Zimbabwe later on 26 October, while Ireland were due to play Cambodia. According to The Guardian, only group winners progress to the top-tier competition, with the remaining teams divided into separate tiers based on where they finish.
Follow Vietnam's campaign: Vietnam U15 beat Brunei 6-0 and Mauritius 4-1 at the FIFA U15 World Cup.