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An anti-gay slur chanted by Mexican fans could lead to disciplinary measures from FIFA against the team of one of the host countries of the 2026 World Cup.
There were at least three instances during Mexico’s 3-0 win over Czechia on Wednesday night where anti-gay slurs were chanted by fans.
This specific chant has caused stoppages in play in past matches and even led to fines for Mexico. However, officials allowed play to continue although it was heard in the crowd.
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Mexican fans hold letters spelling “Mexico” while cheering during the 2026 World Cup Group A match between the Czech Republic and Mexico at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 24, 2026. (Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images)
The chant is directed at the opposing goalkeeper and, although FIFA tried to get fans to stop it, it made a comeback on Wednesday evening.
It is now up to FIFA to try and discipline Mexico again amid a strong start to the tournament.
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During the 2018 World Cup, FIFA showed that it would discipline a country for the actions of its fans. It was in Mexico that they took the example, since the supporters performed the same song during a victory against Germany. The team was ultimately 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 was not used. However, during the 2019 Gold Cup, the chant returned and fans were asked to stop.
Mexico’s Alvaro Fidalgo celebrates his team’s third goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match against Czechia at the Mexico City Stadium on June 24, 2026. (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
CONCACAF intervened, issuing a statement calling 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 quickly updated its disciplinary code, where officials now had a three-step procedure for responding to “discriminatory incidents.”
This procedure began with stopping the game until the chanting stopped, and if that did not help, the game was suspended. Then, if it reaches level three, the match will be abandoned completely.
The Mexican Football Federation itself also tried to stop the chants. In 2021, the soccer organization released two videos, one calling the chant “discriminatory”, while the other showed prominent Mexican players telling fans not to use the chant in the future. The messages also threatened expulsion from those who started or engaged in the chant.
Javier Aguirre, head coach of Mexico, looks on before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A match between Mexico and Republic of Korea at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico on June 18, 2026. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
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Despite all attempts, it is clear that Mexican fans do not want to listen. The ball is therefore once again in FIFA’s court to see if they 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 qualifying matches in an empty stadium.
