England Under-15s Abandon Match Over Alleged Racist Slur

Source reports published 26 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 27 Oct 2026, 2:39 am AEST

During an Under-15 World Cup match against the Republic of Ireland, England players walked off the pitch following an allegation of a racist slur made by an opponent. Fifa is investigating the incident and will refer the matter to its disciplinary committee.

What happened

• England’s Under-15 team abandoned their match against the Republic of Ireland at the Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan on Monday.
• Following an altercation, an England player reported that an opponent had used a racial slur, allegedly calling him a "monkey".
• The England manager, Matt Thorpe, instructed his team to leave the field after a heated exchange between the coaching staff.
• Fifa spokesperson confirmed the match was abandoned due to England’s refusal to continue.
• The Football Association (FA) stated it was awaiting more information and prioritising player wellbeing.
• The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) was contacted for comment.
• Prior to the match, England had won three of their previous games.
• The incident occurred when Ireland were leading 4-1.
• The Fifa U-15 World Cup & Festival involves 189 countries and territories.
• The governing body operates a three-step protocol for addressing discriminatory behaviour, which was previously invoked during England’s 6-0 European Championship qualifying triumph in Bulgaria in 2019.

Original reporting

• BBC: England-Republic of Ireland Under-15 World Cup match abandoned over alleged racism
  2026-10-26T16:39:16.912000+00:00
• Guardian: England Under-15s walk off pitch against Ireland in World Cup after racism allegation
  2026-10-26T00:00:00+00:00
• GB News: England under-15s walk off during World Cup match after alleged racist slur
  2026-10-26T15:47:59+00:00