FIFA fines Spain $20,000 and orders partial stadium closure over Islamophobic chants

FIFA has hit the Spanish Football Federation with a $20,000 fine and ordered the closure of at least 15% of available seats for Spain's next home friendly. The sanction responds to the Islamophobic chants a group of Spain fans sang on two occasions during the 0-0 draw against Egypt in March at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà-El Prat, part of the team's World Cup preparations.

• Spain have been fined $20,000 and must leave at least 15% of seats unsold for their next friendly.
• The chants 'who doesn't jump is a Muslim' were heard twice during the March match against Egypt.
• Lamine Yamal, a practicing Muslim and Spain international, condemned the chants and called those responsible 'ignorant and racist'.
• The RFEF lost its appeal and will now take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

What happened during Spain's friendly against Egypt at the RCDE Stadium

The setting for the incidents was Espanyol's stadium on the outskirts of Barcelona, during a World Cup warm-up match that ended without goals. At two separate moments in the game, a section of the Spain support chanted "who doesn't jump is a Muslim". After the second occurrence, the stadium announcer issued a warning and the scoreboard displayed a message against discriminatory behaviour.

Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona winger and Spain international who is Muslim, spoke out soon after the episode came to light. He described the chants as disrespectful and intolerable, calling those behind them "ignorant and racist". Spanish police opened an investigation the following day while FIFA launched its own disciplinary proceedings against the RFEF.

The RFEF's defence and how FIFA rejected it

During the disciplinary process, the RFEF attempted to soften the seriousness of the incident. It argued that the word "Muslim" was in itself "neither insulting nor pejorative" and claimed the fans' conduct should be assessed under Article 17 of FIFA's regulations, which covers political, ideological, religious or offensive messages, rather than Article 15, which deals with discrimination and racist abuse.

FIFA's disciplinary committee dismissed that argument outright. It concluded that Article 15 does not require the explicit use of a slur, and that a term can be discriminatory when used in context as "an insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority". On that basis, it imposed the fine and ordered the partial stadium closure for Spain's next friendly.

Spain's appeal to CAS and claims of excessive punishment

The federation's internal appeal failed and the RFEF now plans to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A senior federation official said the RFEF has maintained throughout the proceedings that it acted "immediately, diligently and effectively" from the moment it learned of the incidents. The official added that the measures taken ensured the chants were not repeated and that spectators themselves expressed their disapproval.

Throughout the proceedings, the RFEF has maintained that it acted immediately, diligently and effectively from the moment it became aware of the incidents. Furthermore, the measures taken ensured that the chants were not repeated and that the spectators present in the stadium themselves expressed their disapproval of such behaviour.

The same source described the sanctions as particularly severe, arguing that comparable capacity restrictions had not been applied automatically in more serious cases or cases involving previous disciplinary offences. FIFA, when contacted for comment, did not respond immediately.

Lamine Yamal opens up about experiencing racism as a footballer

The case comes shortly after Yamal spoke publicly about the racism he experiences on a regular basis. The Barcelona forward said he has faced racist episodes "a thousand times", often in indirect ways that the people responsible do not even realise.

A thousand times I've experienced racism. People are indirectly racist towards you, even though they don't realise it. There are lots of comments or looks that are racist, and they don't realise it. I'm at a place where, it's not that it's accepted, because you can never accept something that's wrong, but it doesn't bother you.

With those words, Yamal highlighted a reality that goes beyond stadiums and was once again on display in that March friendly. FIFA's sanction, although under appeal, sends a firm message against discriminatory chants in international football.

Frequently asked questions about Spain's FIFA sanction