Fifa calls for teams to forfeit matches if fans engage in racist abuse

The chief of football's world governing body has called for teams to forfeit a match if their fans engage in racist abuse. It comes after two incidents at the weekend in Italy and the UK, which FIFA boss Gianni Infantino described as "totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable."

AC Milan's win away against Udinese was marred by alleged racist chants.  Players walked off in support of French goalkeeper Mike Maignan who reported hearing what he called "monkey noises" from some in the crowd at the Stadio Friuli. 

Currently there is a three-step process if a football match is disrupted by racist abuse, where play is stopped twice before a match is abandoned, but Infantino says that's not enough.

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"We have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism and caused the match to be abandoned," Infantino wrote on social media platform X.  He added those responsible should face worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges.

Speaking after the match, Maignan said, "Racism cannot be allowed to reach this level. And with all the cameras that are there, everything that is there, and the sanctions that there are for these things, something must be done to change things."

A second incident occurred in the UK's second division league when the match between Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday was stopped for several minutes following alleged racist abuse aimed at Coventry's midfielder Kasey Palmer.

Sheffield Wednesday called the incident "wholly unacceptable" and said they are working with South Yorkshire police to identify those responsible.

Britain's anti-discrimination in football charity Kick It Out has thrown its support behind Infantino's suggestion of match forfeiture, saying "We welcome stronger and more meaningful punishments, as called for by Fifa."  

The group added players affected need  "support with actions not words."

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