The Mexican Football Federation announced a new advertising campaign on Thursday to prevent fans from using a homophobic chant during the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
The anti-discrimination initiative, titled "The Wave Yes, The Chant No," features former national team players from the 1986 World Cup and is rolling out less than a month before the tournament begins.
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Campaign Details and Background
The offensive chant has persisted for two decades and recently resurfaced during the Liga MX playoffs and intercontinental World Cup playoff matches hosted in Mexico.
"This campaign aims to raise awareness among fans about the importance of supporting the Mexican national team with the wave and not with discriminatory chants that FIFA sanctions," the federation said in a statement.
The coordinated stadium movement known as the Mexican Wave gained global popularity during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, having been created originally by an American fan in 1981.
"It was at a World Cup 40 years ago that The Wave was immortalized, a movement of unity that remains in stadiums today as one of the most significant and iconic legacies of international football," the federation stated.
Mexican soccer officials are attempting to stop the chant after receiving a dozen FIFA sanctions and drawing fierce criticism from various LGBT+ organizations.
Mexico has pending appeals before the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding prior FIFA punishments stemming from a 2024 match against the United States.
The promotional campaign features former soccer stars Hugo Sánchez and Manuel Negrete alongside current national team coach Javier Aguirre, with appeals across social media and stadium video screens.
