July 1 – A second English team has cancelled a fixture against Qatari opposition following a backlash over the World Cup host’s human rights record.
Following Watford’s decision to call off a game against the Qatar national team, third-tier Shrewsbury Town have cancelled their pre-season match against a Qatar Stars league side in Spain on July 6 due to the country’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community, women’s rights and overall human rights.
The club’s LGBTQ+ fans’ group, ‘Proud Salopians’, had posted a lengthy protest on Twitter calling for the match to be axed.
“Shrewsbury Town FC can confirm that our game against Qatar SC at Hotel Meliá Villiatana in Benidorm that was scheduled for Wednesday 6th July has been cancelled,” a statement said.
“The fixture was arranged late in the off-season as an alternative to the previously expected Coventry City fixture – a game that fell through due to the locations of the two clubs’ training camps and a venue suitable to both teams could not be agreed upon.”
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