The U.S. Soccer Federation said it will enforce its newly implemented policy against anti-gay chanting when United States faces Mexico on Wednesday, even though the match is a non-FIFA date friendly.
The policy was initially approved by the USSF board in May 2022 and ratified at the 2023 Annual General Meeting last month.
In a statement to ESPN, the USSF said it intends to enforce the policy in conjunction with the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) and Soccer United Marketing, which promotes most Mexico matches in the U.S.
"U.S. Soccer takes the issue of discriminatory behavior seriously and strictly prohibits any derogatory chant," the Federation said in the statement.
"We are following and will fully enforce policy 521-2 at this and in all future matches. With FMF and SUM, we have worked proactively to prevent any discriminatory chant at our upcoming match by communicating the Fan Code of Conduct to attendees before the event and will continue that communication in-venue. The FIFA three-step process will be implemented, and violations will be addressed."
That three-step process -- which has been used for several years -- details that fans will hear a warning to cease the discriminatory chant as a first step, in conjunction with play being suspended for two minutes. If chanting continues, players will be sent to their respective locker rooms for 10 minutes accompanied by another warning. Finally, as a third step, the match will be abandoned if chanting does not cease.
While three-step protocol doesn't address individual fan behavior, those who have been caught participating in the chant in previous matches have been removed by stadium management.
The anti-gay slur in Spanish that Mexico fans yell when there is an opposition goal kick has been heard at the numerous matches Mexico has organized and played in the United States over the past several years.
Last January, FIFA fined Mexico's football federation $108,000 for chanting heard at the 2022 World Cup during El Tri's games against Saudi Arabia and Poland. FIFA had previously forced Mexico to play a World Cup qualifier in Sept. 2021 against Jamaica without fans.