England Under-15s walk off pitch during World Cup match after racism allegation

England’s Under-15s walked off the pitch during their match against the Republic of Ireland after a player was allegedly racially abused.

The Young Lions’ fixture at the FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival was abandoned on Monday.

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Head coach Matt Thorpe withdrew his players in the final minute of the match following the incident.

England player alleges racist comment

According to the Daily Mail, an England player claimed an opponent had made a racist comment towards them.

It followed an altercation which saw the England youngster push a rival in the back.

After the allegation was made, a member of the Irish coaching team reportedly shouted: “No, he didn’t,” prompting the England player to protest back.

An argument subsequently broke out between members of staff from both benches.

Thorpe and his coaches were then approached by the accuser, who waited on the touchline whilst his manager spoke to an official.

Before the match could restart, the England boss ordered his players off the pitch.

As a result, the clash was abandoned in the final minute with Ireland leading 4-1.

FIFA statement

FIFA have since launched an investigation into the incident.

In a statement, a FIFA spokesperson said: “FIFA is aware of an incident at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival match between England and the Republic of Ireland.

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“The match was abandoned by the referee following England’s refusal to continue.

“The official reports are being gathered, and the matter will be referred to the independent Disciplinary Committee who will decide in due course.”

It is yet to be confirmed whether the result from the match at the time it was abandoned will stand.

Ireland currently sit a point clear of England at the top of Group C following their meeting.

The Young Lions conclude their group stage schedule against Zimbabwe on Monday, with England winning 2-0 at the time of writing.

Thorpe’s side began their campaign with a 4-0 win over Nicaragua on Saturday.

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They subsequently beat Montenegro and Cambodia 2-1 and 10-0, respectively on Sunday.

As it stands, England will advance to Tier B of the tournament stage.

This week’s tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, marks the inaugural edition of the FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival.

The event is set to run until Friday having started on Saturday.

Matches are eight-a-side and consist of two 20-minute halves.