FIFA Fines Spain €20,000 Over Chants at Egypt Match

FIFA has fined the Royal Spanish Football Federation €20,000 and ordered at least 15 seats closed at Spain’s next home friendly after discriminatory chants during a March match against Egypt. The federation says it will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA’s appeals committee rejected its challenge. The chants were heard during Spain’s 0-0 draw with Egypt on March 31, 2026, at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona. Some supporters chanted a phrase mocking Muslims, including “Whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim,” during the World Cup warm-up match. After the chant was repeated, a stadium announcer warned supporters and the scoreboard displayed an anti-discrimination message. FIFA’s disciplinary committee applied Article 15 of its disciplinary code, which covers discrimination and racist abuse. The RFEF argued that the word Muslim is not inherently insulting or pejorative and that the incident should instead be considered under Article 17, covering political, ideological, religious or offensive messages. FIFA rejected that argument, saying a term need not be an explicit slur to be discriminatory. In its assessment, otherwise neutral language can take on that...