FIFA is under pressure to discipline 2026 World Cup co-host Mexico after an anti-gay slur, chanted by fans, resurfaced during the team's 3-0 victory over Czechia. This marks the latest instance of the offensive chant, which has previously led to FIFA sanctions against the Mexican national team.
There were at least three occasions during the match on June 24, 2026, where the slur was audible from the crowd. The chant is typically directed at the opposing goalkeeper. Despite FIFA's past efforts to curb the behavior, including fines and mandatory empty-stadium matches for Mexico, officials allowed play to continue during Wednesday's game.
This chant has a history of causing disruptions. During the 2018 World Cup, Mexico was fined after fans used the same slur during a match against Germany. While the behavior subsided temporarily in subsequent matches that year, it reappeared during the 2019 Gold Cup. Following its return, CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in North, Central America and the Caribbean, issued a statement condemning the chant as "offensive."
FIFA responded to these recurring incidents by updating its disciplinary code. The updated code introduced a three-step procedure for handling discriminatory incidents, starting with pausing play until the chanting stops. If the chanting persists, the game can be suspended, and in a third stage, the match can be abandoned entirely.
The Mexican Football Federation has also attempted to address the issue internally. In 2021, the federation released public service announcements featuring prominent Mexican players urging fans to cease the chant, labeling it "discriminatory" and warning of potential ejection for offenders. Despite these measures, the chant's reappearance indicates that efforts to eradicate it have not been fully successful.
With the chant's return during a high-profile World Cup match hosted in Mexico, the responsibility now falls on FIFA to determine the appropriate disciplinary action against the Mexican team.