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An anti-gay rant made by Mexico fans could lead to discipline by FIFA for the team of one of the host countries at the 2026 World Cup.
There were at least three instances during Mexico’s 3-0 win over the Czech Republic on Wednesday night when the anti-gay slur was shouted by fans.
This specific chant has caused game stoppages during previous matches and has even led to fines for Mexico. But the officials allowed the play to continue despite it being heard throughout the crowd.
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Mexican fans hold letters spelling out “Mexico” as they cheer during the 2026 World Cup Group A match between the Czech Republic and Mexico at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 24, 2026. (Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images)
The chant is directed at the opposition goalkeeper and although FIFA has tried to get the fans to stop, it returned on Wednesday night.
Now it’s up to FIFA to try and potentially discipline Mexico again amid a solid 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 Mexico they made an example of when fans performed the same song during a win 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 song was not used. But during the 2019 Gold Cup, the chant returned and fans were urged to stop.
Alvaro Fidalgo of Mexico celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match against the Czech Republic at Mexico City Stadium on June 24, 2026. (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
CONCACAF stepped in and released 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 moved quickly to update its disciplinary code, with officials now having a three-step procedure for responding to “discriminatory incidents.”
That procedure started with stopping the game until the chants stopped, and if that didn’t help, the game would be suspended. Then, if it reaches level three, the match would be interrupted entirely.
The Mexican Football Federation also tried to stop the chants themselves. In 2021, the soccer body posted two videos, one calling the chant “discriminatory,” while the other showed prominent Mexican players telling fans not to use the chant going forward. The messages also threatened expulsion for those who start or engage in the chant.
Javier Aguirre, head coach of Mexico, looks on before the FIFA World Cup 2026 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 the attempts, it is clear that Mexico’s fan base does not want to listen. So the ball is in FIFA’s court again to see if it will discipline the team.
The Mexican FA was previously fined $65,000 by FIFA while the team was forced to play two World Cup qualifiers in an empty stadium.
