Mexico has lost its appeal to FIFA to remove its two match stadium ban for its upcoming World Cup qualifying games. FIFA announced back in November that they would be fining the Mexican soccer federation 100,000 Swiss Francs and prohibiting fans from attending the team’s next two home games following anti-gay chants from the crowd at the Estadio Azteca.
In October of this year, Mexico was hosting Canada and Honduras in their World Cup qualifying matches. It was during these games that the Azteca, which is known as a notoriously hostile environment for opposing teams to begin with, broke out into audible anti-gay chants during play (with the chants being overheard on the Canadian broadcasts of the game as well).
FIFA laid out the sanctions the next month, with the Mexican side appealing the fine and fan restrictions. An appeal which the highest governing body of soccer has now denied. Mexico is next in action in late January in Jamaica before returning home for two games against Costa Rica and Panama. Two games which will now be without the usually raucous home side crowd.
This marks the second time this year that Mexico has had to play in front of an empty stadium as a result of anti-gay chants from Mexican soccer fans. Back in September the Azteca was closed to the public for Mexico’s game against Jamaica as a result of anti-gay chants in March. FIFA initially set that ban at two games however they reduced it to one after appeal from the Mexican soccer federation.