Spanish Police Investigate Islamophobic Chants During Spain-Egypt Friendly Match

Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, opened a hate crime investigation on Wednesday after Spanish supporters chanted "whoever doesn't jump is a Muslim" during Tuesday's international friendly between Spain and Egypt at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà-El Prat, near Barcelona. The match, which ended in a 0-0 draw, was attended by spectators. The chants began around the 20th minute of the first half and were heard on multiple occasions, including shortly after halftime, according to reports. Spain's 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, a practicing Muslim who played the first half before being substituted, publicly condemned the incident on Instagram the following day. The stadium announcer and overhead screens displayed anti-discrimination messages during the match, but those appeals were met with whistles from sections of the crowd.

Yamal calls out "ignorant and racist" fans by name Lamine Yamal, widely regarded as Spain's standout player, issued a pointed personal statement on Instagram on Wednesday, identifying himself as Muslim before addressing those responsible for the chants. „I am Muslim, alhamdulillah. Yesterday in the stadium, the chant 'whoever does not jump is a Muslim' was heard. I know it was directed at the opposing team and was not something personal against me, but as a Muslim person, it is still a lack of respect and something intolerable.” — Lamine Yamal via El País Yamal acknowledged that not all supporters behaved that way, but directed a clear message at those who did. „Using a religion as a mockery on a pitch makes you look like ignorant and racist people. Football is for enjoying and cheering, not for disrespecting people for who they are or what they believe in.” — Lamine Yamal via El País He closed his post by thanking supporters who came to cheer the team and signed off with a reference to the upcoming World Cup. Egypt is a majority-Muslim country, and the chant was understood to be directed at the visiting team rather than at Yamal personally, though he made clear the distinction offered him no comfort. Barcelona teammates Pedri and Joan Garcia also condemned the incident, according to The New York Times.

Coach, minister, and federation all condemn the chants Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente described the behavior as intolerable and called for those responsible to be excluded from football and broader public life. „I feel total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitudes. They are intolerable.” — Luis de la Fuente via AP News He added that such individuals exploit football as they do other areas of life, and that society needed to isolate them. The Spanish Football Federation posted a statement on social media saying it "stands against racism in football and condemns any act of violence inside stadiums." Félix Bolaños, Spain's minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, denounced the chants on X, linking the incident to the rise of the far right. „Racist insults and chants shame us as a society. The far right will not leave any space free of its hatred, and those who remain silent today are complicit.” — Félix Bolaños via Reuters Spain's minister of education, vocational training and sport posted a similar condemnation, according to The New York Times. The Mossos investigation opened two parallel avenues — criminal and administrative — under hate crime and discrimination protocols, according to police sources cited by El Mundo.

Match relocated from Qatar amid Iran war fallout The friendly had originally been scheduled to take place in Qatar but was moved to Spain after the region was affected by the ongoing conflict following the outbreak of the Iran war, according to AP News. A planned "Finalissima" match in Qatar between South American champion Argentina and European champion Spain was also canceled after the two sides could not agree to reschedule. The incident at the RCDE Stadium drew attention to a recurring problem in Spanish football, with Reuters noting that Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinícius Jr. has been the subject of high-profile racist targeting in recent years. Spain is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team faces Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde, and Uruguay in Group H. Egypt, the opposing side in Tuesday's match, is placed in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran. La Vanguardia reported that Spain could face a fine and a possible match behind closed doors as a result of the incident, citing precedents in similar cases.

Racism in Spanish football has been a persistent and documented issue for years. Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr. has been among the most prominent targets, facing repeated racist abuse from opposing fans in LaLiga matches, prompting responses from Spanish football authorities and international condemnation. The chant format used on Tuesday — "whoever doesn't jump is [subject]" — is a style typically deployed by Spanish supporters with the opposing nation or group as the target, according to The New York Times. The RCDE Stadium is the home ground of LaLiga club RCD Espanyol, located on the outskirts of Cornellà de Llobregat and El Prat de Llobregat in the wider Barcelona metropolitan area.