The Concacaf Nations League final match between Mexico and Panama on Sunday night was briefly paused because anti-gay chants were heard at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. In the 82nd minute, Concacaf issued a first warning, and then stopped the game a couple of minutes later. Play resumed after a few minutes, and Mexico defeated Panama 2-1.
This is the third consecutive year these chants have been a problem in the competition, also happening in the 2023 semifinal between the United States and Mexico and the 2024 final involving the same two teams.
Mexico won the game with a late penalty from Raul Jimenez in the 92nd minute, his second goal of the match. This victory secured Mexico`s first Concacaf Nations League title. The United States lost to Canada in the third-place match earlier on Sunday.
History
In past Nations League finals, matches involving Mexico have been stopped due to fans using anti-gay chants. In 2021, Mexico`s semifinal win over Costa Rica was paused for three minutes during a penalty shootout, leading to the ejection of several fans. In the CNL final against the USMNT a few days later, the match was paused again for three minutes during stoppage time in the second half. It happened again in 2024.
Anti-discrimination policies
Before the first Nations League finals in 2021, Concacaf implemented a three-step policy, consistent with FIFA guidelines, to address discriminatory language from fans.
According to this policy, if discriminatory behavior is heard, the referee will first temporarily stop the match. This pause will be followed by an announcement in the stadium and a message on the screens explaining the situation and asking fans to stop using discriminatory language.
If the behavior persists, the referee can suspend the match, sending teams to the locker room for a period determined by officials. This will also be accompanied by announcements. As a final measure, the referee can abandon the match altogether.
