Mexico Launches New Campaign to Eradicate Homophobic Chant Ahead of World Cup

Mexico City — With the 2026 World Cup approaching, Mexico has launched a campaign to eliminate the homophobic chant that has long accompanied its fans and led to international sanctions.

Under the slogan “La Ola sí, el Grito no” (The Wave Yes, the Chant No), the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) aims to redirect fan passion toward a festive and positive expression: the traditional stadium wave.

The initiative features Mexican soccer legends Hugo Sánchez, Manuel Negrete, and current national team coach Javier Aguirre, who will directly call on fans to abandon the chant.

The chant — typically heard when the opposing goalkeeper clears the ball — has resurfaced in recent weeks, even during the Liga MX finals. This has raised global alarm, especially with FIFA monitoring, as the organization has repeatedly sanctioned Mexican soccer for the behavior.

The campaign seeks to revive the unifying spirit of the “Mexican Wave,” a tradition that gained popularity during the 1986 World Cup hosted in Mexico. Although the wave originated in the United States in 1981, it became a global soccer symbol in Mexico.

“This campaign aims to raise awareness among fans about the importance of supporting the national team with the wave and not with discriminatory chants that FIFA sanctions, to channel passion and turn the stands into the true 12th player,” the FMF said in a statement.

The FMF has accumulated more than a dozen FIFA sanctions and constant criticism from LGBT+ rights organizations, which consider the actions taken so far insufficient.

The strategy will be implemented in two phases: May 21–31 and June 1–30, just before the World Cup. It will be promoted on social media and stadium screens, including three friendly matches, starting with a game against Ghana in Puebla.

Mexico, which will become the first country to host three World Cups — after 1970 and 1986 — will co-host the tournament with the United States and Canada. The event begins June 11, with attention focused not only on the sporting spectacle but also on the image Mexico projects to the world.