FIFA faces pressure to discipline 2026 World Cup co-host Mexico after anti-gay chant returns vs Czechia

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An anti-gay slur that has been chanted by Mexico fans could lead to discipline from FIFA for the squad of one of the host countries in the 2026 World Cup.

There were at least three instances during Mexico’s 3-0 victory over Czechia on Wednesday night where the anti-gay slur was chanted by fans.

This specific chant has caused stoppages in play during past matches, and has even led to fines for Mexico. However, officials allowed play to continue despite it being heard throughout the crowd.

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Mexican fans holding letters that spell Mexico cheering at a football stadium.

The chant is directed at the opposing goalkeeper, and though FIFA has tried to get the fans to stop, it made its return on Wednesday night.

Now, it’s up to FIFA to try to potentially discipline Mexico again amid a solid start to its tournament.

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During the 2018 World Cup, FIFA showed it would discipline a country for its fans’ actions. It was Mexico they made an example of, as fans performed the same chant during a victory over Germany. The team was eventually fined by FIFA for the chant.

The discipline worked, at least in the short term. In Mexico’s next match against South Korea that year, the chant wasn’t used. However, during the 2019 Gold Cup, the chant returned, and fans were urged to stop.

Alvaro Fidalgo celebrating after scoring a goal during a soccer match at Mexico City Stadium.

CONCACAF stepped in, releasing a statement that called the chant “offensive,” but it returned during the team’s match against the United States. Mexico ended up winning the Gold Cup that year, but FIFA moved quickly to update its disciplinary code, where officials now had a three-step procedure to respond to “discriminatory incidents.”

That procedure started with stopping play until chants stopped, and if that didn’t help, the game would be suspended. Then, if it reaches level three, the match would be abandoned altogether.

The Mexican Football Federation also tried stopping the chants themselves. In 2021, the football organization posted two videos, one calling the chant “discriminatory,” while the other showed prominent Mexican players telling fans not to use the chant moving forward. The messages also threatened ejection for those who start, or engage, in the chant.

Javier Aguirre looking on before a soccer match at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico

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Despite all the attempts, it’s clear Mexico’s fan base doesn’t want to listen. So, the ball is in FIFA’s court once again to see if it will discipline the team.

The Mexican Football Federation was previously fined $65,000 by FIFA, while the team was forced to play two World Cup qualifier matches in an empty stadium.

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