Thomas Tuchel to brief England players on anti-racism protocols before Spain match

England manager Thomas Tuchel intends to brief his players on Uefa's anti-racism protocols prior to Sunday's Nations League encounter with Spain in Madrid. This fixture marks England's first return to the Spanish capital since a 2004 match at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium, which was marred by racist abuse directed at England players.

Last month, the Spanish federation received a fine and was instructed to implement a partial stadium closure for their next friendly after supporters were heard using "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants against Muslims during a fixture versus Egypt. "We had a same discussion before the Serbia game [in Belgrade in September 2025]," Tuchel said. "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, which organises the Nations League, maintains a three-step procedure to manage discriminatory behaviour in stadiums, allowing referees to suspend or potentially abandon games. Initially, officials will pause the match and order a public announcement. If the conduct persists, they may stop play for five to 10 minutes and remove the teams from the pitch. Should the situation remain unresolved after the second pause, the game can be abandoned.

"It's important that the players know about the protocol," Tuchel stated. "And then, yeah, we will give our answers if stuff like this happens. Best answers are on the pitch."