England could be fined by FIFA if fans 'bring' Brexit onto the pitch
The English Football Association (FA) could be fined if its fans sing pro-Brexit chants during the match against Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.
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| English fans at the match between England and Panama in Volgograd (Russia) on June 24. Photo: THX/TTXVN |
According to a VNA reporter in the UK, a spokesman for the World Football Federation (FIFA) on June 25 confirmed that the FA will be fined if the Three Lions' fans are found to have violated the regulations on "displaying slogans with political content or offensive in any form" and "using offensive words and sounds" in the match next Thursday in Kaliningrad (Russia).
England's third match of the 2018 World Cup group stage will be the first time England and Belgium have met since Britain voted to leave the EU two years ago, sparking difficult negotiations between London and Brussels.
With the EU's power headquarters located in the Belgian capital, the British press is calling the upcoming match a “Brexit derby.”
England fans chanted pro-Brexit slogans at EURO 2016 and were responsible for a series of disturbances in Marseille, France, that nearly saw them expelled from the tournament.
In the first two matches against Tunisia and Panama, FIFA has not recorded any evidence that English fans had slogans supporting Brexit.
However, England fans who came to Russia to support the team also caused a scandal when they shouted anti-Semitic slogans and gave Nazi salutes in a beer hall during the match between England and Tunisia in Volgograd.
In connection with this incident, an English fan was banned by the British police and FA from attending football matches for 5 years, while 2 others are also under investigation./.
