Fans at Mexico's final World Cup group stage match on Wednesday chanted a homophobic slur toward Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar, a violation that has previously triggered heavy fines from FIFA. The chant, which literally means male prostitute in Spanish, rang out at the Azteca stadium late in the first half when Kovar took a goal kick.
Mexico's soccer federation has already paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties over the same slur in past matches. The incident now puts the federation at risk of additional sanctions, though FIFA has not yet announced any disciplinary action for this latest occurrence.
The recurrence casts a shadow over Mexico's tournament performance and raises questions about the efficacy of previous fines and awareness campaigns. No other sources reported immediate consequences from match officials or the governing body at game time.
Mexico advanced to the knockout stage but now faces a potential investigation that could lead to further financial penalties or even stadium restrictions. The team's next opponent and schedule remain dependent on group standings yet to be finalized.
"We have to do more to educate our fans," said a federation official speaking on condition of anonymity, noting that stadium announcements and public service ads have failed to stop the chant. "Fines alone are not changing behavior."