England fans in Dallas warned over offensive chants ahead of clash with Croatia
England fans arriving on 17 June 2026 for the match against Croatia at the World Cup in Dallas have been warned that they could be removed from the stadium if they sing offensive or politically charged songs aimed at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. British media have reported that such chants have already been recorded at earlier fan gatherings and warm-up matches, so organizers and security services ahead of the Group L match are particularly focused on respecting FIFA's code of conduct. According to available information, the disputed messages are not related to the sporting rivalry between England and Croatia, but to vulgar political messages considered unacceptable under the tournament regulations.
The England and Croatia match is being played at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, in the wider Dallas area, with kick-off at 3 p.m. local time, or 10 p.m. Central European Summer Time. The local organizing committee for Dallas states that this is one of the most attractive group-stage matches at that stadium, which will host several matches during the tournament, including knockout-stage games. The match carries additional weight because England and Croatia are meeting again on the world stage after the 2018 World Cup semi-final, when Croatia won after extra time and reached its first final.
FIFA's code clearly bans political and offensive messages
According to FIFA's Stadium Code of Conduct for the 2026 World Cup, which has been in force since 2 June 2026, ticket holders must comply with the instructions of the organizers, security staff and public authorities responsible for safety. The same document states that failure to respect the rules may lead to removal from the stadium, cancellation or revocation of a ticket, and in some cases additional proceedings if a person is assessed as a security risk. FIFA also prohibits bringing in or displaying material of a political, offensive or discriminatory nature, including banners, flags, leaflets, clothing and other props. The rules do not apply only to objects, but also to behavior in the stadium: fans are prohibited from chanting in a political, offensive or discriminatory manner and from using insulting speech or obscene gestures.
That provision is crucial in the case of England fans because the disputed chants, according to reports by British media, are directed at the current British prime minister and have a political as well as offensive dimension. FIFA's rules do not assess messages according to whether they are directed against one's own government, a foreign politician or some other public figure, but according to whether they are political, offensive, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate for a stadium. For that reason, individuals who continue with such chanting could be warned, moved, refused entry or removed from the stands, depending on the assessment of the stadium services. In practice, the decision to intervene is made by the event organizers and security staff, while FIFA in its rules retains broad discretion in assessing objects and behavior that may disrupt safety or the experience of other visitors.
Possible consequences do not apply only to individuals
The warning to fans also has a broader sporting and disciplinary context. According to FIFA's Disciplinary Code, national associations may bear responsibility for the behavior of their fans at matches under FIFA's authority, even when an association claims it could not directly prevent individual conduct. In the event of repeated political or offensive chanting, the Football Association could come under the scrutiny of disciplinary bodies, especially if it is assessed that the behavior is an organized or visible pattern. Such decisions are not automatic and depend on reports from delegates, security services and other officials, but warnings ahead of the match show that the risk is being taken seriously.
British media state that the Football Association is aware of the problem and is drawing fans' attention to the rules that apply at World Cup stadiums. In publicly available reports, there is so far no confirmation that FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings over specific chants ahead of the match with Croatia, but the rules are clear enough to allow a response already inside the stadium itself. This means that an individual does not have to wait for formal disciplinary proceedings in order to face consequences; it is enough for stewards or the organizer to assess him as violating the code of conduct. Removal from the stadium in such cases would not be unusual because the World Cup is a high-security-profile event, with unique rules that go beyond the usual habits of fans at domestic competitions.
Flags and banners also under special scrutiny
Ahead of the match, there is also additional discussion about rules for flags, banners and fan props. The Guardian reported that England fans have been warned that flags must not be hung over the LED advertising boards around the pitch, with FIFA sources citing safety and organizational reasons. According to the same report, smaller flags and banners made of fire-retardant material are permitted, while larger items require prior approval. FIFA's code also stipulates that flags, banners and posters must not exceed 2 metres by 1.5 metres without prior written approval from the organizers.
Special attention is also being paid to the content of flags. British media reported that some fans objected to the ban on flags showing weapons or soldiers, even when such motifs were presented as commemorative. According to FIFA's code, weapons and images that may be linked to political, offensive or security-sensitive messages may be grounds for refusing to allow props to be brought in. The Guardian also stated that at an earlier match in Dallas some Dutch and Japanese fans had problems with flags, which raised the question of the consistency of rule enforcement at different stadiums. For fans, this practically means that passing security checks at one stadium does not guarantee the same outcome at another, especially when it comes to large banners, political symbols or messages that may be interpreted as offensive.
A high-intensity sporting encounter in Group L
The sporting context of the encounter further increases attention around the match. According to the official match centre on the England Football website, England and Croatia are meeting for the second time at the World Cup, after the 2018 semi-final in Moscow, which Croatia won 2-1 after extra time. The same source states that this is their fourth meeting at major competitions in the 21st century: in addition to the aforementioned World Cup semi-final, they also played at the European Championships in 2004 and 2020. Their most recent meeting at a major competition was played in the group stage of Euro 2020 at Wembley, when England won 1-0.
England, according to England Football data, won all eight matches in qualification for the 2026 World Cup and did not concede a goal, giving it the role of one of the tournament's most closely watched national teams. Croatia, according to UEFA data, enters Group L as a national team led by Zlatko Dalić and captained by Luka Modrić, with continuity of major results at World Cups. UEFA notes that Croatia was a finalist in 2018 and won third place in 2022, while it finished qualification for the 2026 tournament with a record of seven wins and one draw. Because of that history, the match in Dallas is not only the opening group match for both national teams, but also the continuation of one of the more interesting European rivalries at major competitions.
Security regime at American stadiums further strengthened
The 2026 World Cup is the first edition with 48 national teams and 104 matches, and it is being held in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. FIFA states that the tournament is being played at 16 stadiums, and Dallas Stadium is one of the key American venues with a large number of matches. Because of the scale of the tournament and different local rules, FIFA published detailed instructions for fans ahead of the competition, including rules on bags, stadium entry, props, behavior, alcohol and prohibited items. In the United States, such rules are enforced in coordination with local security services, which can mean rapid intervention if behavior in the stands is assessed as risky or inappropriate.
For the England and Croatia match, a tense but also strongly monitored atmosphere is expected. The fan culture of both national teams traditionally includes loud support, flags and long gatherings before matches, but at the World Cup the line between permitted support and banned messages is determined by FIFA's rules. Organizers do not ban cheering or national symbols as such, but they intervene when content turns into a political, offensive or discriminatory message. That is precisely why England fans are being told that chants against Starmer, regardless of the political context in the United Kingdom, could be treated at the stadium in Dallas as a violation of the code of conduct.
Fan atmosphere between support for the national team and the limits of what is allowed
According to reports from Texas, a large number of England fans arrived in Dallas and Arlington several days before the match, and some of them took part in fan gatherings and visits to local events. Such gatherings are a usual part of major tournaments, but at the same time they can increase the risk of behavior that organizers consider inappropriate, especially if disputed songs are transferred from bars and fan zones to the stadium stands. In the case of matches under FIFA's authority, the stadium and its immediate zone are treated not only as a sporting space, but as a controlled area with special rules on entry, behavior and safety.
In practice, the specific behavior in the stands will be assessed, not fans' political opinions outside the stadium. This is an important distinction because FIFA's rules do not ban personal political views, but they do ban their expression in a way that is political, offensive, discriminatory or disrupts the safety and experience of other spectators. If chants against Keir Starmer are repeated during the match with Croatia, organizers may react already during the game. If, however, incidents do not occur or remain outside the stadium, it is possible that the warning will remain only a preventive measure ahead of one of the most closely watched matches of the first part of the tournament.
Sources:
- FIFA – Stadium Code of Conduct for the 2026 World Cup, rules on political and offensive messages, props and removal from the stadium (link)
- FIFA – Disciplinary Code, provisions on associations' responsibility for fan behavior and possible disciplinary measures (link)
- England Football – official match centre for England - Croatia, information on the time, history of head-to-head meetings and qualification context (link)
- England Football – England's schedule in Group L of the 2026 World Cup (link)
- Dallas FIFA World Cup 26 – local match schedule at Dallas Stadium in Arlington (link)
- The Guardian – report on rules for flags, LED boards and enforcement of FIFA guidelines in Dallas (link)
- LADbible – report on warnings to England fans over chants and flags ahead of the match with Croatia (link)
- Football Ground Guide – report on anti-Starmer chants, earlier incidents and possible consequences under FIFA rules (link)
- UEFA – overview of Croatia at the 2026 World Cup, information on the group, coach, captain, qualification and history of appearances (link)
- FIFA – official schedule and format of the 2026 World Cup with 48 national teams and 104 matches (link)
- GOV.UK – official profile of Keir Starmer and confirmation of his role as prime minister (link)