FIFA fines Spain $20,000 and orders 15% stadium closure over anti-Muslim chants

The sanction

FIFA has fined the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) $20,000 over chants heard at the friendly against Egypt on 31 March 2026. The match ended 0-0 at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà, near Barcelona, the home ground of Espanyol. Some fans sang 'Who doesn't jump is a Muslim' around the 10th minute and again in the 47th minute. The stadium announcer warned the crowd after the repeat, and a message against discriminatory behaviour appeared on the scoreboard. FIFA announced the verdict on Friday, 16 October 2026, saying its appeals body had confirmed an earlier ruling by three disciplinary judges.

Stadium closure

Alongside the fine, FIFA ordered that at least 15% of the seats be closed for Spain's next friendly. The measure applies only to friendlies, so official matches already on the calendar, including the November game against England at the Metropolitano, are not affected. The closed seats may instead be filled by groups such as families, students and anti-discrimination organisations, subject to FIFA's approval. The closure is to be carried out mainly in the stands behind the goals. The next home friendly is likely to fall in June 2027 or March 2028. If Spain qualify for the Nations League finals, the closure would move to an open date during Euro 2028 qualifying in autumn 2027.

The federation's defence

The RFEF argued that the word Muslim is neither an insult nor a slur, and that the crowd's behaviour belonged under Article 17 of FIFA's disciplinary code. That article covers messages that are political, ideological, religious or offensive. The federation said Article 15, which deals with discrimination and racist abuse, should not apply. The disciplinary committee rejected that position. It held that Article 15 does not require an explicit insult, and that a word can be discriminatory when context turns it into a taunt or a sign of inferiority. The committee also noted that the federation could not claim the chant was harmless while invoking anti-discrimination measures. The RFEF has said it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).

Reactions

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente condemned the chants as intolerable and accused violent people of using football to claim space for themselves. Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, condemned the chants at the time, and the Barcelona winger was not the direct target of the abuse. In an Instagram post in April, he wrote:

Using a religion as a taunt on the field makes you look ignorant and racist.

The RFEF said its own control mechanisms detected the conduct, that it informed the referee team immediately and that it cooperated with authorities to identify those responsible. The Egyptian Football Association condemned the chants and said the actions of a small group of fans would not damage relations between the two federations.

Investigation and timeline

Spanish police opened an investigation on 1 April 2026, the day after the match. The fine was set on 4 August 2026, and the ruling was only confirmed in the days before FIFA's announcement. The sequence from the match to the public verdict is set out below.

1. Mar 31, 2026Spain play Egypt to a 0-0 draw as chants are heard in the 10th and 47th minutes
2. Apr 1, 2026Spanish police open an investigation the day after the match
3. Aug 4, 2026The fine against the RFEF is set
4. Oct 16, 2026FIFA announces the $20,000 fine and the 15% seat closure after the ruling is confirmed