(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
LGBTQ+ Activists Urge Mexican Fans to End Offensive Chant Ahead of 2026 World Cup
MEXICO CITY – LGBTQ+ activists are calling on Mexican soccer fans to stop using a homophobic chant during matches, ahead of next year’s 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The chant, a one-word slur in Spanish, first gained international attention during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and has persisted despite fines, including a 100,000 Swiss francs ($114,000) penalty during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Activists say the sanctions have had little effect.
“Those fines have been for nothing. And what has the federation done? Not much. And what it has done is useless,” said Andoni Bello, an LGBTQ+ activist and former amateur player in tournaments organized by the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association.
Mexico will host 13 matches in Monterrey, Mexico City, and Guadalajara. The chant originated in Guadalajara during a 2004 Olympic qualifier between Mexico and the U.S. and later spread to stadiums nationwide, particularly among fans of the Atlas soccer club.
With the World Cup approaching on June 11, 2026, activists are appealing directly to supporters to end the offensive chant and create an inclusive environment for all fans.
