Under-eights football match descends into chaos as parents clash in ugly brawl… and official pinpoints the reason why violence has escalated

An ugly brawl between parents during a children’s soccer match has highlighted a worrying increase in confrontations at youth games.

Video footage shows parents storming onto the pitch during an under-eights match between Quakers Hill Tigers and Marayong Football Club in Sydney’s west, knocking each other over, prompting the two clubs to enter crisis talks.

Clubs are concerned about the escalation of violence between parents in the under-8 competition, while the referee at last weekend’s match was also only 12 years old.

Marayong President Naji El-Kazzi said: “The incident itself was disappointing. It is not something we tolerate.”

A concerned local resident told 7News: “These are role models for these children and this is just not acceptable.”

Bill Owen, director of the Blacktown District Soccer Association, called the unsavoury scenes unacceptable.

“No eight-year-old child should be exposed to this kind of violence, let alone anywhere near it or experience it on any scale,” he said, during crisis talks held on Tuesday.

Owens also revealed that COVID has caused a change in parental behavior during youth soccer games.

A league official revealed why parental violence during games has increased

“Since COVID broke out, violence has been slowly increasing,” he said.

“There has to be a certain level of accountability and responsibility and when you know that, there will be consequences for those members who break our rules and regulations,” Owen said.

Our priority is the children.

“They come first, because everyone has the right to play.”

The governing body is currently investigating the events leading up to the brawl and has promised to impose short suspensions on those involved.