Mexico’s men’s national soccer team will play two home games in empty stadiums as part of a FIFA punishment for fans chanting anti-gay slurs at an Olympic qualifying tournament.
Mexico’s next two official home games are World Cup qualifiers against Jamaica on September 2 and Canada on October 7.
Reuters reports FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee also fined Mexico’s Football Federation (FMF) 60,000 Swiss francs ($65,118.30) for chants from supporters during games against the Dominican Republic on March 18 and the United States on March 24.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Mexican Federation with a fine of 60,000 Swiss francs and the condition that they play their next two official home games behind closed doors as a consequence of the anti-gay chants heard in the matches against the Dominican Republic and the United States, played in Guadalajara on March 18 and 24, respectively,” FIFA said in a statement on Friday.
FMF President Yon de Luisa addressed the sanctions during a news conference Friday.
“Let’s stop now, please,” de Luisa said. “The (expletive) chant is discriminatory and is moving us away from FIFA competitions. To those who think it’s fun to yell it out, I have news for you. It’s not.”
De Luisa also admitted there is a risk to Mexico’s involvement in the 2026 World Cup, which they are set to co-host with the United States and Canada.
“How can we host a World Cup if we are going to have our stadiums empty? If we don’t stop now, the consequences for Mexican football could be devastating,” he added.
