England withdrew from their Under-15 World Cup game against the Republic of Ireland on Monday after one of their players reported hearing a racist insult. Fifa said it was examining the incident, which occurred during the final minute of the Group C match in Baku, Azerbaijan, with Ireland ahead 4-1.
Video footage showed an England player heading towards the bench following a confrontation. The player reportedly said that an opponent had called him a “monkey” and informed the coaching staff, leading England head coach Matt Thorpe to speak with the referee.
Thorpe called the referee over and then directed his team to leave the pitch. An England assistant coach later told the official: “We are reporting racism,” while making clear that the players were unwilling to carry on.
A second official arrived to discuss how to proceed, but the assistant coach repeated that England would not return to the field and explained that one player had been distressed by the alleged incident. Further footage captured tense discussions between the two coaching staffs, with both sides stating that their priority was protecting their players.
A spokesperson for football’s international governing body said it knew about an incident during the Under-15 World Cup and Festival fixture involving England and the Republic of Ireland. The spokesperson added that the referee ended the game after England declined to continue.
According to the spokesperson, officials were gathering match reports before sending the case to an independent disciplinary committee, which will determine whether additional measures are required.
The Football Association has not issued a public statement and is reportedly awaiting further details. It is understood to be treating the allegation seriously while supporting the affected players and staff. The Football Association of Ireland has also been asked to respond.
The first edition of the Under-15 World Cup features teams representing 189 countries and territories. Matches use an eight-a-side format on reduced-size pitches and consist of two 20-minute halves.
England entered the fixture after victories over Cambodia, Montenegro and Nicaragua. They were scheduled to face Zimbabwe later on Monday, while Ireland were set to meet Cambodia. Group winners advance to the highest-level competition later in the week, with the remaining teams placed into different tiers according to their finishing positions.
Before the event began, organisers said the tournament was unprecedented in both size and ambition. More than 3,000 young players are participating across 950 fixtures, and every team is guaranteed at least nine games. Arsène Wenger, the organisation’s head of global football development, said the event allows players from around the world to compete, gain experience and develop.
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