England U15s walk off at World Cup after racism allegation against Republic of Ireland

England’s Under-15 players walked off the pitch during their Fifa Under-15 World Cup fixture against the Republic of Ireland in Azerbaijan on Saturday, abandoning the match after an allegation of racism with the score at 4-1 to Ireland.

Footage circulating on social media shows England coach Matt Thorpe signalling his players towards the touchline following a confrontation between one of his players and an Irish opponent. As he called them off, Thorpe was heard saying: “It’s not happening.” Words then continued to be exchanged between the two coaching staffs before the referee brought the game to a halt.

Fifa confirmed the incident in a statement, saying: “Fifa is aware of an incident at the Fifa Under-15 World Cup and Festival match between England and the Republic of Ireland. 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.”

The Football Association said it is aware of the incident and is awaiting further information. England are scheduled to return to action against Zimbabwe on Monday evening.

The tournament, held in Azerbaijan, features 189 countries, with teams comprised of eight players and matches played over two 20-minute halves.