Watford cancel plans for Qatar friendly after supporter anger over human rights issues

Watford have cancelled plans to play a friendly against Qatar, after suffering backlash from some of the club’s supporter groups.

They will travel to Austria at the start of July for a training camp, which was scheduled to include the fixture.

News of the match was met with anger from the club’s LGBT+ and women’s supporters groups, due to Qatar’s widely condemned views on homosexuality, human rights and women’s rights.

A joint statement from Proud Hornets and Women of Watford said: “WOW and Proud Hornets are very disappointed that Watford FC will play the Qatar national team at its training camp.”

“We urge our team to display its support for all human rights, the LGBT+ community & women’s rights at the game and will discuss this directly with the club.”

Club officials were due to meet with representatives from both supporter groups, but the plans for the match have now been cancelled before that meeting.

A Watford spokesman said, “The game was never finalised and it became abundantly clear this was a game not to play; as such, the schedule was revised.”

After hearing the news, WOW and Proud Hornets released a second statement to say they are “delighted Watford FC has listened to our concerns and cancelled the game with Qatar.

“We look forward to continuing our discussions with the club on all equality, diversity and inclusion issues,” they added.