London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Mar 04, 2026

Prince William 'deeply concerned' by Bradford junior football racism

Prince William 'deeply concerned' by Bradford junior football racism

The Prince of Wales has told a junior football club in Bradford he is "deeply concerned" about racist abuse its players have endured on the pitch.

Mohammed Waheed, who coaches Alpha United Juniors, said players as young as seven had been subjected to racial slurs and threats of violence.

He wrote to Kensington Palace claiming he had raised the issue with the Football Association (FA) to no avail.

Prince William said all those responsible must be held to account.

The prince, who is president of the FA, said he was "particularly saddened" to hear about "the effects this intolerable action can have on those who are simply wanting to play a game of football".

Mr Waheed said he decided to publicise Prince William's letter because he felt the FA had not acted quickly enough


A letter to Mr Waheed from Prince William's private secretary said the royal had raised Mr Waheed's concerns with the FA and asked them to "take the necessary action".

The prince also expressed his "sincere sorrow to anyone affected" and "profound support for all that you and the club are doing to stop racism".

Mr Waheed wrote to him in January and decided to share his response, which was sent last month, as he was unhappy with West Riding FA's investigation process.

Mr Waheed, who founded the club, said the same abuse happens "over and over again"


He said Alpha United Juniors had reported "between 50 and 60 cases" of racism.

Player and coach Ateeb Hussain, 17, told the BBC he had been racially abused "a lot" by opposition footballers, coaches and spectators.

He said he felt "very uncomfortable with the words that are coming out of their mouths".

Ateeb Hussain said he had suffered a lot of racial abuse by opposition clubs


Mr Waheed, who also founded the club, said: "The same transgressions happen over and over again with no accountability taken from the county FA.

"We've had many clubs reach out saying the exact same thing, so clearly there's a failure somewhere along the line."

The West Riding County FA said it condemned "any form of discrimination, whether in football or out of it, and where it sits within our jurisdiction, we will do all we can to bring perpetrators to account".

A spokesperson added: "We have received two referrals from Alpha this year, both of which are being investigated."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Says UK–US ‘Special Relationship’ Is Diminished Amid Middle East Dispute
UK Economic Forecasts Face Fresh Strain from Middle East Conflict and Rising Energy Costs
UK Reaffirms Close US Ties After Trump’s Public Criticism
Reeves Stresses Stability and Fiscal Discipline in UK Budget Update as Growth Outlook Shifts
UK Deploys Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus After Drone Strike on RAF Base
Green Party Surges Past Labour in New UK Poll as Traditional Party Support Crumbles
Majority of Britons Oppose U.S. Use of UK Military Bases in Iran Conflict
UK Intensifies Evacuation Efforts from Oman, Working with Airlines to Boost Flight Capacity
Trump Condemns UK and Spain in Unusually Sharp Rift Over Iran Military Action
Trump Repeats UK Claims That Diverge from Verified Facts Amid Diplomatic Strain
UK Arrests Prominent Figures Linked to Epstein Network as Questions Mount Over US Action
Trump Says UK ‘Took Far Too Long’ to Approve Use of Airbases for Iran Strikes
Scope of Britain’s Role in the Expanding Middle East Conflict Comes Under Scrutiny
Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ in Starmer Over Iran Comments
U.S. Embassy in Riyadh Struck by Drones Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Starmer Confronts Strategic Test After Drone Strike Near British Base in Cyprus
Rolls-Royce Chief Signals Openness to Germany Joining UK-Led Fighter Jet Programme
UK Stocks Slip as Escalating Iran Conflict Triggers Global Market Selloff
UK Overhauls Asylum System to Make Refugee Status Temporary
Starmer Warns of ‘Reckless’ Iranian Strikes Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
British Base in Cyprus Targeted as Drones Intercepted Amid Expanding Iran Conflict
Starmer Diverges from Trump on Iran Strategy, Rejects ‘Regime Change from the Skies’
U.S. and Israel Intensify Strikes on Iran as Conflict Expands to Lebanon and Gulf States
Violent Pro-Iranian Protesters Storm U.S. Consulate in Karachi
Missile Debris Sparks Fires at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port Near Palm Jumeirah
Iran Strikes U.S. Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain Amid Wider Gulf Retaliation
When the State Replaces the Parent: How Gender Policy Is Redefining Custody and Coercion
Bill Clinton Denies Knowing Woman in Hot Tub Photo During Closed-Door Epstein Deposition
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Testifies on Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Before Congressional Oversight Committee
Dyson Reaches Settlement in Landmark UK Forced Labour Case
Barclays and Jefferies Shares Fall After UK Mortgage Lender Collapse Rekindles Credit Market Concerns
Play Exploring Donald Trump’s Rise to Power by ‘Lehman Trilogy’ Author to Premiere in the UK
Man Arrested After Churchill Statue Defaced in Central London
Keir Starmer Faces Political Setback as Labour Finishes Third in High-Profile By-Election
UK Assisted Dying Bill Set to Fall Short in Parliament as Regional Initiatives Gain Ground
UK Defence Ministry Clarifies Position After Reports of Imminent Helicopter Contract
Independent Left-Wing Plumber Secures Shock Victory as Greens Surge in UK By-Election
Reform UK Refers Alleged ‘Family Voting’ Incidents in By-Election to Police
United Kingdom Temporarily Withdraws Embassy Staff from Iran Amid Heightened Regional Tensions
UK Government Reaches Framework Agreement on Release of Mandelson Vetting Files
UK Police Contracts With Israeli Surveillance Firms Spark Debate Over Ethics and Oversight
United Airlines Passenger Hears Cockpit Conversations After Accessing In-Flight Audio Channel
Spain to Conduct Border Checks on Gibraltar Arrivals Under New Post-Brexit Framework
Engie Shares Jump After $14 Billion Agreement to Acquire UK Power Grid Assets
BNP Paribas Overtakes Goldman Sachs in UK Investment Banking League Tables
Geothermal Project to Power Ten Thousand Homes Marks UK Renewable Energy Milestone
UK Visa Grants Drop Nineteen Percent in 2025 as Migration Controls Tighten
Barclays and Jefferies Among Banks Exposed to Collapse of UK Mortgage Lender MFS
UK Asylum Applications Edge Down in 2025 Despite Rise in Small Boat Crossings
Jefferies Reports Significant Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender MFS
×