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After some fans allegedly started anti-Muslim chants during the international football friendly match between the Spanish national team and Egypt last Tuesday, FIFA confirmed it had opened disciplinary proceedings.
In a statement, the sport’s governing body said action had been taken against the Spanish federation following the incident.
“FIFA today initiated disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Federation for incidents that occurred during the friendly match against Egypt.”
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Spanish players queue before the international friendly soccer match between Spain and Egypt at the RCDE stadium in Cornella de Llobregat, near Barcelona, March 31, 2026. (Lluis Gene/AFP)
The RCDE Stadium in Catalonia, Spain hosted the match on March 31, with Spain as the home team. Fans in some sections of the 40,000-seat stadium – a potential future World Cup venue – may have been heard chanting “bote, bote, bote muslim el que no bote”, which translates to “jump, jump, jump, he who doesn’t jump is Muslim”. The chant resurfaced several times during the match.
The stadium announcer has issued a warning to fans over the stadium’s policy against discriminatory behavior following reports of anti-Muslim chants.
Spanish players walk on the pitch before the international friendly soccer match against Egypt at the RCDE stadium in Cornella de Llobregat, near Barcelona, March 31, 2026. (Lluis Gene/AFP)
Egypt is overrunning a Muslim nation. According to the World Religions Database, approximately 90% of the country’s population identifies as Muslim.
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Spanish star Lamine Yamal condemned the chants a day later, calling those responsible “ignorant and racist.”
“I am Muslim, thank God,” the 18-year-old wrote in a message posted on Instagram on Wednesday. “I understand that not all fans are like that, but for those who sing these chants: using religion to make fun of people in a football stadium leaves you as ignorant and racist people.”
FILE – Spain’s Lamine Yamal, center, warms up for the Nations League semi-final soccer match between Spain and France in Stuttgart, Germany, June 5, 2025. (Matthias Schrader/AP)
“Football is about enjoying and supporting, not offending people by who they are or what they believe in,” Yamal’s message concludes.
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Criticism was swift, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) denouncing the behavior before the end of the match and Joan Garcia and Pedri echoing this stance after the match.
“The RFEF opposes racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums,” wrote the governing body of sport in Spain in a statement published on social networks on Tuesday.
The response extended beyond the field, with Spain’s Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports and the Council on American-Islamic Relations also condemning the chants.
Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente also condemned the message. “I am repugnant and I absolutely reject any form of xenophobia or racism, it is totally intolerable,” he declared during a press conference.
