The Mexican soccer federation lost its latest appeal against FIFA punishments for fans chanting an anti-gay slur, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld fines totaling 140,000 Swiss francs ($178,000). This ruling comes just days before Mexico hosts South Africa on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium, where the chant has frequently occurred during international matches.

The one-word Spanish slur, which literally means "male prostitute," has been a persistent issue for over a decade, going viral during the 2014 World Cup and recurring in 2018 and 2022. Despite mitigation efforts by the federation since 2015, CAS judges determined the fan behavior was "collective and widespread, not merely a one-off occurrence," rejecting the federation's claim of effective preventive measures.

The court did lift a sanction that would have closed part of a stadium at FIFA-organized games. FIFA will deploy anti-discrimination monitors at all 104 World Cup matches across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. Mexico's national team will also face South Korea in Guadalajara and the Czech Republic at Azteca during the group stage.