Mexico vs. Panama Game Delayed by Anti-Gay Chants

The Concacaf Nations League final between Mexico and Panama on Sunday night experienced a short delay. Anti-gay chants were heard inside SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, leading to the interruption. In the 82nd minute, Concacaf issued an initial warning, and the game was paused a few minutes later. After a brief stoppage, play resumed, and Mexico defeated Panama 2-1.

This incident marks the third year in a row that anti-gay chants have negatively impacted the tournament. They also occurred during the 2023 semifinal between the United States and Mexico and the 2024 final involving the same two teams.

Mexico ultimately won the match thanks to a late penalty scored by Raul Jimenez in the 92nd minute. This was Jimenez`s second goal of the game and secured Mexico`s first Concacaf Nations League title. Earlier on Sunday, the United States lost to Canada in the third-place match.

History of Disruptions

Past Nations League finals featuring Mexico have also been halted due to fans using the anti-gay chant. During El Tri`s 2021 semifinal victory over Costa Rica, the game was paused for three minutes during a penalty shootout, resulting in the ejection of several fans. In the CNL final against the U.S. men`s national team days later, the match was again paused for three minutes in second-half stoppage time. This issue unfortunately repeated in 2024.

Anti-discrimination Policy

Concacaf implemented a three-step policy before the 2021 Nations League finals, aligning with FIFA guidelines on discriminatory fan language.

According to this policy, if discriminatory behavior is heard, the referee will initially halt the match temporarily. This pause will be followed by an announcement over the stadium speakers and messages on stadium screens. These messages will explain the reason for the stoppage and request fans to stop using discriminatory language.

If the behavior persists, the referee has the authority to suspend the match further, sending teams to the locker room for a period determined by officials. This decision will also be communicated through announcements. The final step available to the referee is to abandon the match entirely.