Sports
U.S. Soccer bans anti-gay chants at sanctioned matches
The federation’s Board of Directors passed a resolution to adopt a ban on discriminatory chants at all sanctioned soccer matches
With just 20 days until the U.S. men’s national team take on Mexico in their World Cup qualifying match, U.S. Soccer is taking a stand against a popular chant that perpetuates homophobia and gay bashing.
The federation’s board of directors voted Friday on a resolution that will adopt a zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-gay chants at all matches hosted or sanctioned in the U.S., including international matches played here.
The board also agreed to work on a way to implement FIFA’s own three-step protocol at all matches “promoted or controlled by U.S. Soccer.”
The ban comes just 20 days before the USMNT takes the field before a packed house at the fabled Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where fans have a long history of chanting the word “puto.” The slur has many meanings but when it’s shouted at opposing players, it’s roughly translated to mean “male prostitute” in colloquial Spanish.
This happens so frequently at Esadio Azteca, that FIFA has issued multiple fines against Mexico’s Football Federation. In response, the MFF issued a ban of its own in January. Violators caught chanting that or any other homophobic slur risk being banned from matches for five years, as the Los Angeles Blade reported.
But this problem is hardly limited to Mexico.
In June, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, (CONCACAF) league’s final match in the Mile-High City was halted after fans disrupted the game play by shouting the vulgar chant at players on the field.
Then in November, the Los Angeles Football Club’s final home match of the 2021 season was marred by fans chanting at least three times. The LAFC announced recently it would work to stop the practice by teaming up with the LGBTQ fan group Pride Republic, as well as The 3252, which is the club’s largest official fan group, in hopes of curbing the use of the slur at Banc of California Stadium.
“While to many, it may seem like crowd chants at soccer matches may just be sophomoric attempts to distract the players on an opposing team, as a queer, Latino soccer fan, these discriminatory chants cut much deeper,” said Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Director of Communications, in a statement posted online.
“For LGBTQ Latinos, these chants – almost always using a highly-derogatory Spanish slur – create an atmosphere of hostility, recalling long-lasting memories of fear and rejection,” Vasquez added. “We applaud U.S. Soccer for passing a ban on these homophobic chants to ensure that all of their matches are inclusive of their entire fan base. U.S. Soccer today made an unequivocal statement that there is no room for hate and homophobia in football and now it must take action to make this resolution an enforceable policy at its next meeting.”
U.S. Soccer didn’t come to this decision all on its own. Reports by the Blade, Outsports and ESPN kept pressure on the board of directors. NCLR worked with attorney Paul C. Burke of Equality Utah to put even more public pressure on U.S. Soccer, with a social media toolkit that urged the organization to pass the ban on the discriminatory chants with the hashtag campaign #BanTheChant.
Sports
‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay
Games to take place next month in Italy
“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will participate in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics that will take place next month in Italy.
HBO Max, which distributes “Heated Rivalry” in the U.S., made the announcement on Thursday in a press release.
The games will take place in Milan and Cortina from Feb. 6-22. The HBO Max announcement did not specifically say when Williams and Storrie will participate in the torch relay.
The Washington Capitals will host Pride Night on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they host the Florida Panthers at Capital One Arena. A special ticket offer featuring a Pride-themed Capitals rainbow jersey is available at washcaps.com.
Fans are invited to a pre-game Block Party at District E beginning at 5 p.m. The event will feature a performance by the band NovaKane. Specialty happy hour food and beverages will be available, as well as giveaways. There will also be a presence by several local LGBTQ+ community organizations.
Egypt
Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’
Game to take place on June 26
Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.
The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.
The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”
“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.
The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.
Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’
The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.
“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”
“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”
The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.
Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.
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