Mexico secured a landmark 2-0 victory over Ecuador to reach the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but celebrations at the Estadio Azteca could be overshadowed by the possibility of disciplinary action after the controversial “puto” chant was heard again from sections of the home support. The song, which has repeatedly led to sanctions against the Mexican Football Federation over the past decade, reappeared during the knockout victory, despite years of awareness campaigns and previous FIFA sanctions aimed at eradicating it.
Mexico’s historic victory overshadowed by a well-known controversy
Mexico secured their place in the round of 16 with a calm 2-0 win over Ecuador at the iconic Estadio Azteca, ending a 40-year wait for a World Cup knockout stage victory on home soil. Goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez ensured Javier Aguirre’s side continued their remarkable tournament, extending their record to four straight wins without conceding a goal. In doing so, Mexico also became the first nation since Italy at the 1990 World Cup to win their opening four games of the tournament without conceding a single goal.
Mexico’s Julian Quinones (16) celebrates with teammates after the World Cup Round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and Ecuador in Mexico City, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
The result also confirmed a successful round of 16 tie with England, after Thomas Tuchel’s side came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 later on Wednesday through Harry Kane’s late goal. The two nations will now meet at the Estadio Azteca on July 6 for a place in the quarter-finals. But in the midst of the celebrations inside the stadium, a recurring question came up again from the stands.
Homophobic chants are making a comeback despite years of campaigning
During shots by the Ecuador goalkeeper, sections of the Mexican crowd were heard chanting the one-word expletive “puto”, a chant that literally translates to “male prostitute” in Spanish and has long been considered discriminatory and homophobic by FIFA. Singing has repeatedly brought Mexican football into disciplinary problems. It first came to global attention during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil before re-emerging during the tournaments in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. The latest incident means it has now been heard at a fourth consecutive men’s World Cup.
Fans celebrate with Mexico’s players after their team’s victory over Ecuador in their World Cup Round of 16 match in Mexico City, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
According to the Daily Mail, the Mexican Football Federation has spent years trying to eliminate the chant through fan education initiatives and repeated appeals to fans, but those efforts have largely failed to eradicate it. Ahead of the 2026 tournament, the confederation launched its latest awareness campaign, “La Ola SÃ, El Grito No” (“Wave Yes, Sing No”), in which members of Mexico’s 1986 World Cup team encourage fans to perform the Mexican wave instead of shouting insults. Despite these efforts, the chant was reportedly heard from Mexico’s first game of the tournament and reappeared during the win over Ecuador.
Previous sanctions could influence FIFA’s response
The Mexican governing body has already faced significant disciplinary action over similar incidents. Ahead of the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled on FIFA’s disciplinary proceedings relating to chants during international matches against Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil and the United States in 2024. According to CAS, anti-discrimination monitors documented the incidents before FIFA imposed fines totaling 140,000 Swiss francs (approximately $178,000 or £130,457). While CAS upheld the financial penalties, it overturned an additional sanction that would have required the closure of part of the stadium during FIFA-organised competitions. In its written decision, CAS acknowledged that the Mexican Football Federation had discussed that it had implemented educational programs since 2015 aimed at preventing and eliminating chanting. However, the court concluded that these mitigation efforts were insufficient. “They observed that the behavior of the fans was collective and widespread and not just a one-off occurrence,” the CAS ruling said. The incidents were also detected by the same anti-discrimination monitoring system that operated during the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada, meaning FIFA could take another look at the latest reports before deciding whether disciplinary action is warranted. Sports journalist Matt Slater of The Athletic argued that financial sanctions alone did not solve the problem. “On the one hand, FIFA penalties don’t work. “But on the other hand, we can’t just let some Mexican fans shout anti-gay slurs every time the opposing goalkeeper takes a shot. “Self-policing by fans is the best way to fix this… now would be a good time to start.” Mexico now turn their attention back to the pitch, where they face a high-profile round of 16 clash against England, but whether FIFA opens another disciplinary proceeding following the events at the Estadio Azteca could become an unwelcome distraction as the co-hosts continue their World Cup campaign.
