England manager Thomas Tuchel will remind his players of Uefa's anti-racism protocols before Sunday's Nations League fixture against Spain in Madrid. The match will be England's first in the Spanish capital since a notorious friendly at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium in 2004, which was marred by racist chanting directed at England players.
Background of Racism Concerns
The Spanish federation was fined last month and ordered to play their next friendly match with a partial stadium closure after fans sang "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants about Muslims during a game against Egypt. This incident has heightened awareness of the potential for discrimination in Spanish stadiums.
Tuchel emphasized the importance of preparedness, stating: "We had a same discussion before the Serbia game [in Belgrade in September 2025]. There is a protocol in place. Maybe we take our five minutes to inform the players about the protocol if there is a precedent [in Madrid]."
Uefa's Three-Step Protocol
European governing body Uefa, the organizer of the Nations League, has a three-step protocol to handle incidents of discrimination inside stadiums. The protocol is designed to give referees the power to halt matches and even abandon games if racist behavior continues.
- First step: The referee halts the match and requests an announcement on the public address system.
- Second step: If discrimination continues, officials can stop the game for five to 10 minutes and take the players from the field.
- Third step: If issues persist after the second stoppage, the game can be abandoned.
"It's important that the players know about the protocol," Tuchel said. "And then, yeah, we will give our answers if stuff like this happens. Best answers are on the pitch."
Match Significance and Challenges
Sunday's fixture takes place at Atletico Madrid's home, the Metropolitano. Victory would ensure England win their Nations League group and earn a more favorable quarter-final draw. However, world champions Spain are unbeaten in 43 matches, including a 3-2 win at Wembley in September.
Tuchel acknowledged the challenge: "It's important that we play with the same mindset that we played at home, and attack them and try to make it a physical game, and try to impose our strength. It [Spain] is a team that has forgotten how to lose, so it requires a top performance first of all, and if we can deliver this performance, it will give us a big boost. I think we're there, and I think we're ready to win on Sunday."
As England prepares for a crucial match, the focus remains on ensuring players are aware of the protocols and ready to respond appropriately to any incidents, while also delivering a strong performance on the field.
