FIFA have opened an investigation into incidents that occurred during Spain’s goalless draw with Egypt last week, where racist chants were heard multiple times throughout the match at the RCDE Stadium. The issue quickly became a nationwide talking point, even prompting Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to comment.
On three separate occasions, chants of “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim” were reportedly heard. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente condemned the behaviour after the match, while Lamine Yamal also described it as “intolerable” in a social media post the following day.
Reports initially suggested Spain could face sanctions from FIFA, including a fine or even a partial stadium ban—raising concerns ahead of the upcoming World Cup. According to Cadena Cope, FIFA has proceeded with an investigation despite the referee not including the chants in his official report. Additional evidence gathered by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also includes chants such as “Spain is Catholic, not Muslim,” while Catalan police have launched their own inquiry.
The RFEF, however, remains confident about the outcome. Although the anti-racism protocol was only activated at half-time, federation president Rafael Louzán described the incident as isolated. Reports from Marca indicate that the RFEF believes it complied fully with FIFA’s procedures and is unlikely to face punishment.
After activating the protocol, a stadium announcement urged fans to refrain from discriminatory chants. The RFEF has since compiled a detailed report for FIFA, including ticketing data and social media evidence highlighting Spain’s immediate response.
In a further concerning development, similar chants were heard in the streets around the Santiago Bernabéu ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The recurrence of such incidents has raised broader concerns about racism in Spanish football and could potentially impact FIFA’s decision regarding the host of the 2030 World Cup final, with Spain and Morocco among the contenders.
