English Football Unlikely to Adopt Forfeits Despite FIFA’s Call for Racist Abuse Consequences

Despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plea for automatic forfeits for teams with fans responsible for racist behavior causing match abandonment, English football has no immediate plans to upgrade protocols addressing racist abuse. The Premier League, English Football League (EFL), and Football Association (FA) are expected to maintain the existing three-stage protocol.

Infantino’s call for automatic forfeits follows recent racist incidents in Serie A and the Championship. The current procedure involves informing the referee of abuse, temporary withdrawal of teams if the abuse persists, and ultimately abandoning the match if the abuse continues upon players’ return. However, individual competitions can choose their steps following abandonment, and the consensus in the English game would likely be required for any protocol changes.

Infantino emphasized implementing automatic forfeits, worldwide stadium bans, and criminal charges for racist behavior. Udinese, after racist abuse against AC Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan, expressed their intent to ban spectators found guilty for life.

Ian Wright, echoing widespread frustration, called for points deductions instead of fines, emphasizing the need for more significant consequences to eradicate racism from football grounds. Law 7.5 dictates that an abandoned match is replayed unless competition rules determine otherwise.

The FA, Premier League, and EFL, having previously collaborated on measures addressing disorder, would likely need a similar consensus for any reforms to the existing protocols. Omar Beckles, chair of the Professional Footballers’ Association, stressed the importance of real, consistent, and significant consequences for racist abuse, placing responsibility on the authorities for the next steps.