{"slug": "homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic", "title": "Homophobic chant returns in Mexico’s World Cup match against the Czech Republic", "summary": "Fans at Mexico's World Cup match against the Czech Republic chanted a homophobic slur, which has previously led to FIFA fines against the Mexican soccer federation. The chant, used to intimidate goalkeepers, persisted despite efforts to stop it.", "body_md": "**Getting your**\n\n[Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...MEXICO CITY (AP) — Fans at Mexico’s final [World Cup](https://www.mercurynews.com/sports/soccer/world-cup-2026/) group stage match on Wednesday chanted a slur that has previously led to fines and other sanctions against the country’s soccer federation.\n\nThe slur, which literally means male prostitute in Spanish, could be heard at the Azteca stadium toward the end of the first half when Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar took a goal kick.\n\nThe chant has cost Mexico hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines levied by FIFA. It rose to popularity roughly 25 years ago and is used to intimidate goalkeepers when they take goal kicks.\n\nIt went viral in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was heard again in Russia during the 2018 World Cup and four years later in Qatar. It has persisted despite attempts by the Mexican soccer federation to stop it.\n\nMexico had already advanced to the knockout phase as Group A winners ahead of the match against the Czech Republic.\n\n___ AP World Cup coverage: [https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup](https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup)", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic", "canonical_source": "https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/25/homophobic-chant-mexico-world-cup-czech-republic/", "published_at": "2026-06-25 15:54:42+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-06-25 16:16:19.655153+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy"], "entities": ["FIFA", "Mexico", "Czech Republic", "Azteca stadium", "Matej Kovar"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/homophobic-chant-returns-in-mexicos-world-cup-match-against-the-czech-republic.jsonld"}}