England Walk Off Over Alleged Racist Insult at Inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup; Match Against Ireland Abandoned at 4-1
A match at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, was abandoned on October 26 after England's players walked off the pitch in the final minute, with Ireland leading 4-1, following an alleged racist insult by a member of the Irish team directed at an England player. FIFA said the matter will be referred to its independent disciplinary committee.
According to Reuters, the incident occurred after the referee awarded England a free kick, which led to scuffles between players. The England captain accompanied one of his teammates to the sideline and then spoke to the referee, before head coach Matt Thorpe and his staff told the players to leave the pitch. England refused to continue, and the referee abandoned the match.
A FIFA spokesperson said the match was abandoned by the referee following England's refusal to continue, that official reports were being gathered, and that the matter would be referred to the independent disciplinary committee, which will decide in due course. The alleged remark remains an allegation; neither FIFA nor the two associations has identified any player involved.
The tournament is FIFA's first U-15 World Cup. It runs from October 24 to 30 at the Hovsan Competition Complex in Baku, with 189 teams taking part and players born in 2011 or 2012. Matches are played eight-a-side over two 20-minute halves, with no elimination; teams are placed into performance tiers that each crown a winner. The event is open to all 211 FIFA member associations; the United States did not send a team. A first girls' edition is scheduled for 2027, with boys' and girls' tournaments planned annually from 2028.
Source: GSM·USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：青少年足球比赛资料照片（美国亚利桑那州Phoenix，2024年），非本届赛事现场。Shane Bailey 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布。/ File photo of a youth soccer match in Phoenix, Arizona (2024), not this tournament. Photo by Shane Bailey, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
