England Fans Chant Abuses at PM Starmer During Barcelona World Cup Qualifier

During England's 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Andorra, approximately 7,000 England supporters chanted abusive songs targeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calling him derogatory names to the tune of KC & The Sunshine Band's 'Give It Up'. This marked the first time such open hostility was directed at Starmer at a football match, reflecting broader political discontent amid recent electoral losses and controversies involving immigration and Brexit. England manager Thomas Tuchel condemned the chants as 'not acceptable', although he stated he did not personally hear them during the match. Tuchel also criticized his team's lackluster performance against a low-ranked opponent, warning they were fortunate not to suffer a setback. The match was played in a largely empty stadium after being relocated from Andorra to a venue over 100 miles away, which contributed to a subdued atmosphere punctuated by boos at half-time. The Football Association has faced scrutiny before over political chants by English fans, highlighting ongoing tensions between football, politics, and fan behavior.