Mexico fans have been heard singing the one-word homophobic slur “puto” at opposition goal kicks for a fourth straight World Cup, despite FIFA action and a Mexican federation campaign launched before the tournament. The situation echoes past viral incidents an
Mexico’s World Cup streets have often looked like a festival—fans packed in shoulder to shoulder, rival supporters seen partying side by side. But inside Estadio Azteca and beyond, one sound has kept cutting through the noise: the one-word slur “puto,” directed at opposing goal kicks.
The chant literally means “male prostitute” in Spanish, and it has returned at World Cups for a fourth straight tournament. It first went viral at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. then showed up again at the next editions in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. This time. it has followed Mexico from the start—seen again since the team’s opening game—and it came to a head yesterday.
For many Mexican supporters, the match rhythm is simple. When the opposition goalkeeper is preparing to take a goal kick, the chant often follows. Fans who have otherwise thrown themselves into backing their side have now faced a harsher line from fans online and officials alike. with the criticism sharpening around a message that keeps repeating: education programs and warnings have not stopped the abuse.
Just before this tournament kicked off at Estadio Azteca. Mexican soccer officials launched a campaign meant to steer supporters away from the chant. The effort. titled “La Ola Sí. El Grito No. ” used members of Mexico’s 1986 World Cup team to encourage fans to do the wave—but not the slur. That plea, however, did not land. Mexico fans have been heard chanting “puto” again, already since their opening match.
Online anger has been swift. One user named Juan Arango wrote on X: “All these years ‘fighting homophobic chants’ and they yell ‘puto’ four times and nothing. FIFA are a joke… because they went after Mexico years ago. Now this and their hypocrisy exudes.” Another account, Red Card Riot, posted: “Hey @FIFA, Mexico fans chanting Puto. Make them forfeit this game.”.
The renewed backlash lands in the shadow of formal punishment. Ahead of this World Cup, Mexico had already been sanctioned for the homophobic chant. The latest decision in a long-running Mexico vs. FIFA appeals sequence came from the Court of Arbitration for Sport—over 10 years after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
That case at CAS followed FIFA prosecutions of incidents at games in 2024 involving Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil and the United States. For Mexico, the chant was heard by anti-discrimination monitors. Those monitors will also work for FIFA across the World Cup’s 104 games in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
CAS said its judges upheld FIFA-imposed fines totaling 140,000 Swiss francs (reported as $178,000). The court also lifted a sanction of closing part of a stadium at a FIFA-organized match such as the World Cup.
In its statement. CAS said the judges at a hearing in Miami in March weighed the Mexican federation’s mitigation that it had “put measures in place since 2015 to educate. prevent and eradicate the chant.” The court added that it had observed the conduct as “collective and widespread. ” not a single isolated incident. It also said the federation should not be able to escape liability because of the “unique nature” of the challenge.
Some critics argue the penalties are simply not changing enough on matchdays. On X. The Athletic’s Matt Slater wrote: “On the one hand. FIFA fines aren’t working… But. on the other. we can’t just let some Mexican fans keep screaming an anti-gay slur each time the oppo goalie boots it. Self-policing by fans is the best way to fix this…now would be a good time to start.”.
Mexico World Cup fans puto chant homophobic slur puto FIFA fines 140 000 Swiss francs Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS La Ola Sí El Grito No Estadio Azteca Mexico vs FIFA appeal
That chant “puto” is messed up. Idk why they keep doing it.
They had a whole campaign and still people are screaming it… like do they not get it or are they just doing it to be edgy. Also the article keeps saying “opposition goal kicks” like that makes it better? It doesn’t.
Wait so “puto” means something like “male prostitute” right? I always thought it was just some random soccer thing, like how fans yell other stuff. But if it’s homophobic then yeah I guess FIFA needs to actually do something besides “action.”
World Cup crowds are always wild but this feels like it’s been allowed too long. They say it’s happened since 2014 and they’re still singing it… I don’t even follow Mexico that much and I’ve heard it. Maybe it’s like a “tradition” thing and they’ll only stop if they lose points or something. But knowing FIFA they’ll fine someone small and then everyone moves on.