Two Yorkshire pubs reverse plans to show England's FIFA World Cup matches due to concerns about host nation Qatar

Leeds venues, The Mustard Pot and The Key Club, have reversed their decisions to show the England national football team’s matches.

Both pubs initially advertised that punters could watch England in the competition at their venues.

However, both have since released statements via social media informing people that showings will not be going ahead as initially planned.

The 2022 edition of the global tournament has been the subject of intense controversy due to the human rights record of host nation Qatar. Various figures from both politics and sport have spoken out against the decision to host the competition in Qatar and there have been cases of fans announcing their intention to boycott it.

The Mustard Pot, in Chapel Allerton, initially announced it would be taking bookings for the games and offering private room hire for large group viewings. However, a statement shared on the pub’s Facebook page read: “I made the wrong decision to show the World Cup and I am sorry. I hadn’t put enough thought into it as I should have done and looking into it more it’s clear we should not be showing it. All tickets have been refunded and sorry to anyone we offended by announcing we would be showing it.”

As well as cancelling showings, The Key Club, in the city centre, announced it would be collecting donations for LGBTQ+ charities at upcoming events. The Key Club’s statement on their official Facebook page read: “We have decided to cancel upcoming England matches which we had planned to show at The Key Club.

"We wanted to create a safe space where people felt comfortable watching the football, however, after careful deliberation and upon further research, we now understand it is best to cancel the upcoming events in response to the ongoing LGBTQ+ issues surrounding the host nation.

"The Key Club is committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space and son we hope you all stand by our decision. As an additional mark of our support we will be collecting donations for LGBTQ+ charities at upcoming events at The Key Club.”