CAS Upholds FIFA Fines Against Mexico

On June 2, 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a ruling in two appeals filed by the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) against FIFA concerning sanctions imposed for the use of a homophobic chant by Mexican supporters during international friendly matches. CAS upheld separate fines of CHF 60,000 and CHF 80,000 imposed by FIFA.

The case arose in 2024 when FIFA’s anti-discrimination system reported homophobic chants during friendly matches played during the summer of 2024 between Mexico vs. Bolivia, Mexico vs. Uruguay and Mexico vs. Brazil. In September 2024, a fine of CHF 60,000 was imposed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, holding the FMF responsible for the conduct of its supporters. The Committee also ordered a 15% partial closure of the stadium for Mexico’s next FIFA match.

In October 2024, separate disciplinary proceedings arose from a match between Mexico and the United States, where similar incidents were reported. In November 2024, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee again found the FMF responsible for supporter misconduct and imposed a further fine of CHF 80,000. Both appeals before the FIFA Appeal Committee were subsequently dismissed, and the disciplinary decisions were upheld.

Appeals were filed by the FMF before CAS in March and June 2025. The federation submitted that it had implemented measures since 2015 to educate, prevent and eradicate the chant. It further contended that the sanctions imposed by FIFA were ineffective in influencing supporter behaviour and deterring future occurrences. The FMF requested that the decisions be set aside or replaced with a joint action plan, arguing that the incidents were short-lived and isolated.

On March 3, 2026, an in-person hearing took place in Miami before a CAS-nominated Panel. The Panel considered the submissions and evidence presented by both parties and reviewed footage from the matches. It observed that the conduct of the supporters was collective and widespread, and not merely a one-off occurrence.

The Panel noted that the FMF had demonstrated that significant financial resources and efforts had been deployed to eradicate the chant. However, it found that the prohibited conduct had continued and that the preventative measures undertaken by the federation did not exempt it from liability. Accordingly, CAS upheld the fines of CHF 60,000 and CHF 80,000 imposed by FIFA. However, it partially allowed one of the appeals by setting aside the sanction requiring a 15% partial closure of the stadium, finding that FIFA had applied an unjustified double standard in proceedings involving substantially similar facts.

According to reports, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the FMF following reports concerning the use of the word “puto” by Mexican supporters during the group-stage match against Cameroon. However, on June 23, 2014, FIFA closed the proceedings without imposing sanctions, stating that the incident under review was not considered insulting in the circumstances of the case.

CAS clarified that the media release constituted an unofficial summary of the outcome and that the full arbitral awards containing the reasons for the decision would be made available on the CAS website, unless the parties requested confidentiality.