Supporters at Monterrey’s Club World Cup last-16 game against Borussia Dortmund were warned by FIFA that the game could be suspended after homophobic chants were heard repeatedly during the second half.
Dortmund won the game 2-1, having led 2-0 at half-time but late in the first half as Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel sent a goal kick downfield, one section of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd yelled a discriminatory chant that has, unfortunately, become synonymous with Mexican football. The chant grew louder in the second half each time Kobel sent a dead ball downfield.
FIFA confirmed during the game that it was aware of the chant and in the closing stages of the game, after the chant was heard on multiple occasions, a message was displayed on the big screen at the arena which said the game could be suspended or even abandoned if it did not stop.
The message read: “Attention please! This is an important announcement. The referee has indicated that the match may have to be suspended because of discriminatory behaviour amongst spectators. Discrimination in football stadiums will not be tolerated. If this continues the game may be suspended or even abandoned.”
The match finished before any further action was taken.
According to a FIFA representative on site in Atlanta, there is a protocol in place to first address that type of crowd behaviour and then respond to it. The objective is to give the referee the ability “to take escalating action when such incidents occur among fans or participants”. Per FIFA, such measures are part of a new FIFA disciplinary code that has been implemented for the Club World Cup.
FIFA has been criticised by anti-discrimination campaigners after football’s world governing body decided against regularly displaying messages challenging racism or discrimination at the Club World Cup in the U.S..
The Athletic reported on June 16 FIFA had decided not to show videos, signage or marketing assets in venues hosting the Club World Cup in the United States which explicitly mention challenging racism or discrimination during the opening days of the tournament.
This represented a significant rollback from previous FIFA competitions, such as the Women’s World Cup in 2023 in Australia and New Zealand and the men’s World Cup in 2022 in Qatar.
The federation faced criticism from human rights groups, who called for a reverse of the decision, and FIFA did not explain the reasoning behind the rollback.
FIFA then displayed anti-racism and discrimination messaging at the tournament for one day to mark International Day for Countering Hate Speech. This included a video explaining FIFA’s anti-racism protocols and the “universal anti-racism gesture” being played on the screen before the fixture between Manchester City and Wydad AC at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. FIFA’s Unite for Inclusion campaign has also been absent in this tournament
FIFA has declined to comment when asked if the current political climate in the U.S. played any part in its decision amid hostility towards companies who support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Why does this homophobic chant happen?
The chant, in which fans shout a slur at the opposing goalkeeper during his run-up to take a goal kick, has been a tradition in Mexican football for many years, with differing stories as to its origins. But what’s certain is the negative connotations it carries and the detrimental effect that it has had on the Mexican national team and Liga MX clubs over the years.
Authorities have increased efforts to stamp it out, but sections of the Mexican fanbase continue to ignore those initiatives.
Then Mexican Football Federation (FMF), together with Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the federation’s U.S.-based marketing partner, and CONCACAF, the FMF has invested time and money to produce public awareness campaigns — the results of which remain inconsistent.
CONCACAF’s “What’s Wrong is Wrong” anti-discrimination campaign launched in 2021, and was re-launched in 2023 to coincide with a U.S.—Mexico Nations League semifinal.
The FMF has been levied fines by FIFA, the game’s world governing body, and has been issued stadium bans due to the homophobic slur in recent years.
The chant has also been used by fans of clubs in Liga MX and in MLS. 2025 expansion club San Diego FC saw its inaugural home match marred by the chant, with the club issuing multiple stadium addresses in both English and Spanish asking fans to stop the behaviour. Apple TV’s broadcast picked up at least six clear instances of the chant being shouted. LAFC previously had success in eradicating the chant from their matches, with players and organised fan groups preaching messages of inclusion.
It’s of course not fair or accurate to generalise every Mexican fan as a participant or homophobic. The acts of a loud minority should not taint the entirety of a fanbase. But until the chant subsides on a wholesale level, the stigma surrounding matches will remain – and with a World Cup partially taking place on Mexican soil in 2026, the world is watching.
(Photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
