Mexico might face more football punishments after fans chanted an anti-gay slur during Sunday’s CONCACAF Nations League final defeat to the United States.
Officials stopped Mexico’s match against rivals the USA for the second time in the Nations League tournament when racist shouts erupted throughout Arlington’s AT&T Stadium. As United States goalkeeper Matt Turner took goal kicks near the end of Mexico’s 2-0 defeat, fans screamed “puto” — a homophobic slur.
Before the game was eventually over, referee Drew Fischer stopped play twice, each time lasting several minutes.
The “puto” slur refers to a male prostitute, but in Mexican Spanish, it roughly translates as “faggot,” and it is often used to mock someone’s manhood.
The Mexican Football Federation has long been troubled by the chants; they have been penalized many times and have repeatedly asked fans to stop the activity.
As Mexico, the United States, and Canada get ready to host the 2026 World Cup, CONCACAF, the regional governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, criticized the most recent incidence of the chanting.
In a statement, CONCACAF stated, “CONCACAF condemns the discriminatory chanting in the final minutes of the Nations League Final between Mexico and the United States men’s national teams. It is extremely disappointing that this matter continues to be an issue at some matches, particularly in the context of the next two years presenting such a tremendous opportunity to grow the sport in our region.”
Because fans used the chant, Mexico football officials have been punished more than $650,000 in total over the years in more than a dozen separate punishments. In response to the chanting, FIFA also ordered that Mexico will play two World Cup qualifiers without fans.
