One day before the English FA celebrates its 150th anniversary, FIFA sent them an unwanted birthday present yesterday – news they were facing disciplinary proceedings because Polish fans lit flares at Wembley last week.

Polish fans let off the flares during a World Cup qualifier on October 15, which England won 2-0 to advance to next year’s finals in Brazil, and FIFA confirmed they have opened an inquiry into the incident.

A FIFA statement read: “Disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Football Association and the Polish FA for incidents that were reported during the preliminary competition match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil between England and Poland...

“As the proceedings are ongoing, please understand that we cannot comment further.”

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and general secretary Jerome Valcke are guests of the FA at a gala dinner in London today, 150 years to the day since the world’s oldest football association was founded.

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