England abandoned their Under-15 World Cup match against the Republic of Ireland on Monday after a player reported being subjected to a racist slur. Fifa confirmed it was investigating what happened in the final minute of the Group C fixture in Baku, Azerbaijan, when Ireland were leading 4-1.
Incident and Walk-off
Footage showed an England player approaching the bench after an altercation. He is believed to have alleged an opponent called him a “monkey” and raised a complaint with the coaching staff, prompting England’s head coach, Matt Thorpe, to approach the referee.
Thorpe was seen asking the referee to come over before instructing his players to leave the field. One of England’s assistant coaches subsequently told the referee: “We are reporting racism”, adding that the team did not want to continue playing.
When another official approached to discuss the next steps, the assistant coach reiterated that England’s players did not want to resume the match. He also said a player was upset by the incident. Footage later showed heated exchanges between members of the coaching teams, with representatives from each side saying they were seeking to protect their players.
Official Response and Tournament Context
“Fifa is aware of an incident at the Under-15 World Cup and Festival match between England and the Republic of Ireland,” said a spokesperson for world football’s governing body. “The match was abandoned by the referee following England’s refusal to continue.”
The spokesperson said the official reports were being collected and that the matter would be referred to Fifa’s independent disciplinary committee, which would decide on any further action.
The Football Association has not commented, but is understood to be waiting for more information. It is said to be taking the matter seriously and providing support to players and staff. The Football Association of Ireland has been contacted for comment.
The inaugural Under-15 World Cup involves 189 countries and territories in an eight-a-side format with two 20-minute halves. England, who had won their three previous matches against Cambodia, Montenegro and Nicaragua, faced Zimbabwe later on Monday, while Ireland were due to play Cambodia.
