Egypt Spain

Spain have been ordered to close 15% of the stadium for their next international friendly after discriminatory chants about Muslims were heard from home supporters during the 31 March match against Egypt in Barcelona.

Fifa opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Association, known as the RFEF, over chants it described as “Islamophobic and xenophobic”. The governing body has also imposed a fine of $20,000 (£15,000).

The chants were heard from a group of Spain fans around the 10th minute of the first half at the RCDE Stadium, and again at the start of the second half. An anti-discrimination warning was shown on the stadium screen during the match and repeated early in the second half. Some spectators responded to the second message with whistles.

The RFEF condemned the anti-Muslim chants after the game. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called the behaviour “intolerable”, saying that “violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves”.

In its written reasons, Fifa said the RFEF had argued that the chants did not amount to discriminatory conduct. The disciplinary committee rejected that position, saying the federation could not “persuasively maintain both that the chant was entirely harmless and that it warranted activation of anti-discrimination measures”.

The closure must be concentrated mainly in the stands behind the goals. Fifa may allow the RFEF to allocate the affected seats to community or special-interest groups, including families, students and anti-discrimination organisations.

Spain could next play an international friendly in June. If the team qualifies for the Nations League finals, however, the sanction will instead be served during one of the available dates in next autumn’s Euro 2028 qualifying programme.

The match against Egypt ended in a 0-0 draw. Afterward, the Egyptian Football Association described the chants as an unacceptable “repugnant act of racism”, while saying the actions of a small number of supporters would not damage the close relationship between the Egyptian and Spanish federations.