Fifa start disciplinary action after Spain v Egypt chants

Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) after “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants during a friendly between Spain and Egypt last month.

A message warning fans against xenophobic remarks and singing was displayed on the screen at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona – and was repeated early in the second half, leading to whistles from some sections of the crowd.

The RFEF condemned the anti-Muslim chants while Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called them “intolerable” and said “violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves”.

“Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings today against the Spanish FA for the incidents in the friendly against Egypt,” a Fifa statement said.

Spanish police launched an investigation into the chants last week.

The Egyptian Football Association condemned the chants as an unacceptable “repugnant act of racism”, but said the acts of a small group of fans would not affect the close relations between the Spanish and Egyptian federations.

The match finished 0-0 which led to Spain, one of the co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, losing their top spot in the world rankings.