Mexico fans use homophobic chant again as three die in World Cup celebrations

Mexican fans used a homophobic chant for the second time in the current World Cup during their side’s 2-0 round-of-32 victory over Ecuador at the Estadio Azteca on Tuesday night — an incident that has previously cost the Mexican Football Federation multiple FIFA fines.

The chant, a one-word Spanish slur meaning male prostitute, was directed at Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez at the five-minute mark as he prepared to take his first goal kick of the match. The practice has become a recurring flashpoint for the federation, which has faced repeated sanctions from FIFA over the behaviour.

The chant is said to have originated during a Mexico vs United States Olympic qualifying match in Guadalajara before going viral at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The atmosphere around the fixture was charged well before kick-off. Ecuador’s squad had their sleep disrupted the previous night when Mexican fans gathered outside the team’s hotel in Mexico City, using horns, drums, motorcycles, cars and DJs to unsettle their opponents.

The hostility between the two sets of supporters reflects a broader diplomatic breakdown. Mexico and Ecuador severed relations in April 2024 after Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted political asylum there. While Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has signalled a willingness to restore ties, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said last Monday she would not address the issue until after the match.

The night was also marked by tragedy. Three people died in Mexico City after supporters flooded the streets to celebrate Mexico’s qualification for the last 16. The city’s public health secretariat confirmed that a 44-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman, and a 48-year-old woman all died from asphyxiation at separate locations near Paseo de la Reforma in the city centre.

Clara Brugada, head of government in Mexico City, confirmed the deaths on social media. “The emergency teams of Mexico City immediately attended to the report of three unconscious individuals at different points near Paseo de la Reforma,” she wrote. “All medical response protocols were activated; however, sadly, they lost their lives. We reiterate the call to always celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy.”

Mexico could face England at the same Estadio Azteca venue on Sunday if Thomas Tuchel’s side defeat DR Congo on Wednesday.