Racism remains a serious problem at every level of football, including the youth game.

Reports from the Daily Mail tate that England's Under-15 squad walked off during their FIFA U-15 World Cup match against the Republic of Ireland after a player alleged that an opponent had called him a 'monkey'.

The incident occurred during the group-stage match between England and the Republic of Ireland at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan.

England head coach Matt Thorpe instructed his players to leave the pitch in the closing minutes of the match, with the Republic of Ireland leading 4-1.

Why England's U-15s walked off against Ireland

The high-profile clash between England and Ireland at the FIFA U-15 World Cup in Baku descended into turmoil in the closing minutes of the second half following an intense altercation between rival players.

Following an altercation between players, an England player reportedly alleged that an Irish opponent had called him a 'monkey', prompting head coach Matt Thorpe to take his team off the pitch.

Ireland's representatives disputed the allegation, and heated exchanges followed between members of the two teams' coaching staffs.

After speaking with the match officials, Thorpe instructed his players to leave the pitch. The referee subsequently abandoned the match with Ireland leading 4-1.

Harry Rehill scored all four of Ireland's goals, while Kobi Akerele scored England's only goal.

England returned to action against Zimbabwe later that day, winning 2-0, with the player who had reported the alleged insult included in the starting line-up.

England's decision to leave the pitch highlighted the team's response to the allegation, with the players refusing to continue the match while the incident remained unresolved.

What FIFA has said about the alleged racist incident

After the match was abandoned, FIFA confirmed that it was gathering the official reports and would refer the incident to its independent Disciplinary Committee, which will determine any further action.

Ireland coach Graham Gartland disputed the allegation, saying that his player had called the England player a 'muppet' after being pushed in the back, rather than using the alleged racist insult.

Football's governing bodies have taken a firm stance against racism, with teams such as Hull City and individuals such as Vinicius Junior involved in high-profile cases of recent.

Match footage and subsequent reporting indicated that the referee had not heard the alleged remark. Discriminatory abuse can trigger disciplinary action, but the incident must be assessed through the relevant reporting and disciplinary procedures.

Ahead of the 2026-27 season, the Football Association strengthened its sanctions for aggravated discriminatory breaches, introducing a standard suspension of at least 10 matches for relevant offences, with specific provisions applying to players aged 12 to 15.

England responded with a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe, while Ireland beat Cambodia 4-1 to finish top of the group.