Spain, the World Cup champion, has been fined $20,000 by FIFA for fans chanting an anti-Muslim slogan during a friendly match against Egypt in Barcelona. The verdict was confirmed by FIFA’s appeals body after an initial ruling by three disciplinary judges. The incident occurred on March 31 and was strongly criticized by Spain’s Muslim player Lamine Yamal as “disrespectful and intolerable.” Yamal, who was not directly targeted, condemned the use of religion as a taunt on the field, calling it ignorant and racist, in a post on Instagram in April.
FIFA’s disciplinary judges deemed harsh sanctions necessary, considering it was the first offense for the Spanish soccer federation. The federation reacted promptly to the incident, condemning it. As a result, FIFA ordered a $20,000 fine and crowd restrictions for Spain’s next home friendly match, likely to be scheduled in June 2027 or March 2028. Approximately 15% of the seats in the Spanish home stadium must be closed or allocated to special interest groups like families, students, and anti-discrimination organizations.
The offensive chants were heard during the 10th and 47th minutes of the 0-0 draw at Espanyol’s stadium. The judges commended Spanish officials for implementing preventive measures before the game, cooperating with match officials and authorities, publicly denouncing the chants, and assisting in identifying the responsible fans.