MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican fans used a chant considered homophobic in the first half of the match against Ecuador on Tuesday night in the World Cup round of 32 match.
The chant, a one-word slur that means male prostitute in Spanish, usually occurs when the opposing goalkeeper is taking a goal kick.
The fans did it at the five minute mark when Hernán GalÃndez was doing his first goal kick of the match.
It is the second time in the tournament that fans used the chant, which has cost the Mexican Federation several fines by FIFA.
The chant originated during a match between Mexico and the United States in an Olympic Games qualifying tournament held in Guadalajara, but it went viral at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
There has been a tense atmosphere since before the first whistle.
Mexico fans gathered late last night and into the early hours of Tuesday outside of Ecuador's hotel in Mexico City where they used horns, drums, motorcycles and cars, alongside DJ's to make noise for their rivals.
The tension between the fan bases reflects a deeper geopolitical rift. Diplomatic relations between the two nations have been severed since April 2024, when Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest former Vice President Jorge Glas, who had been granted political asylum there.
While Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa recently expressed a willingness to mend ties, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated last Monday that she would not discuss the matter until after the high-stakes match concluded.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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