Mexico could face sanctions after its supporters engaged in a homophobic chant during Thursday’s CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against the United States.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner of the United States blasted the ball up the field to the chant of “puto” from the crowd. The game was briefly delayed while warnings were given to the crowd.

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Laser pointers were also aimed at Turner and other players on the field.

Both teams had two players dismissed from the game at its conclusion, while the predominantly Mexico-supporting crowd also threw objects and beverages onto the pitch.

After the United States’ 3-0 victory in the match at Allegiant Stadium, CONCACAF issued a statement in which it “strongly condemned” what it called “discriminatory chanting.”

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“Chants heard during the game led to the activation of the anti-discrimination protocol by the match officials. Additionally, security staff ejected several fans for engaging in unacceptable behavior in the stadium,” said the confederation, which governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

“These incidents were extremely disappointing and tarnished what should have been a positive occasion to showcase high-quality football in our region,” the statement added.

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“The Confederation is in the process of urgently establishing further details and reports from security and match officials and will make a further statement in short order”.

The chant has long been an issue for Mexico’s football federation, which has repeatedly been punished and asked fans to cease using it.

Mexico has received repeated fines totaling more than $650,000 over the course of several years, and in September 2021, it was forced to play Jamaica without fans.

Mexico will co-host the 2026 World Cup along with the United States and Canada, and last year, then federation president Yon de Luisa warned it risked losing the hosting rights over the chant.

To prevent the use of the chant, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) implemented a system of online ticket registration and QR codes for spectators at its home matches.