Mexican fans' homophobic 'Eeeeh Puto' chant resurfaces at 2026 World Cup

A homophobic chant repeatedly sung by Mexican supporters is reigniting controversy during the 2026 World Cup. Despite sanctions from FIFA and efforts by the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), fans continue the practice.

Mexico has been imperious on the pitch, winning all three of its Group A matches and securing a flawless record en route to the Round of 16. As one of the tournament's co-hosts, El Tri now awaits its next opponent. However, in the stands, the team's journey is overshadowed by a homophobic chant directed at opposing goalkeepers during clearances.

A portion of the crowd shouts "Eeeeh Puto!" — a vulgar phrase that can be translated as "Eeeeh faggot" or "Eeeeh asshole." The chant was heard during the opening match against South Africa, again against South Korea, and most recently during Mexico's 3-0 rout of the Czech Republic, aimed at goalkeeper Matej Kovar. The behavior has drawn sharp criticism from FIFA, which has been trying to eradicate the chant for years.

FIFA Sanctions and FMF Efforts

FIFA first opposed the chant in 2014 during the World Cup in Brazil. After the Mexico-Cameroon match that year, the governing body opened an investigation into the "inappropriate conduct" of Mexican supporters. The Mexican Federation was subsequently fined.

Further fines followed:

• 2017 Confederations Cup
• 2018 World Cup in Russia (after Mexico's group-stage win over Germany)
• 2022 World Cup in Qatar

The FMF has repeatedly asked supporters to stop El Grito and replace it with a stadium wave. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the federation launched a campaign with the slogan: "The wave yes, El Grito no" and published press releases urging fans to end the discriminatory chant.

In June 2017, Mexican players themselves issued a statement:

"As you know, FIFA takes very seriously the chant we make when the opposing goalkeeper clears, and the possible sanctions are severe. Continuing this behavior in no way contributes to the efforts made on the field if because of it we lose the match, if the match is stopped, or if you are ejected from the stadium. We lose, you lose, we all lose."

Despite these efforts, the chant persists. The federation has already incurred several hundred thousand euros in fines.

A Chant Rooted in Folklore?

Many Mexican fans defend El Grito as part of stadium folklore. Its origins remain unclear.

According to the BBC (2018), the chant traces back to American football stadiums in Monterrey as early as the 1980s. It reportedly entered Mexican soccer stadiums around 2000 and became a national team tradition during a 2003 Olympic qualifying tournament.

Le Parisien offers a different account: the chant originated in 2000 when Atlas Guadalajara supporters insulted their former goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez after he transferred to rival club Chivas.

Related: 2026 World Cup: Results and Final Standings of Group A