The international match between Spain and Egypt, played on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at the Cornella stadium of the Espanyol club in Barcelona, was marked by multiple racist and xenophobic incidents in the stands that have sparked outrage in the Iberian Peninsula.
This friendly match, which ended in a 0-0 draw between Spain and Egypt, was supposed to mark the return of La Roja, the Spanish national team, to Catalan territory after 4 years. However, several hundred so-called supporters had other plans!
Prior to the match, the Egyptian national anthem was loudly booed by part of the crowd. Hostility escalated significantly when, in the 10th minute of the game, the chant “those who don’t jump are Muslim” echoed from the stands, led by ultras groups and then picked up by a large part of the stadium. Racist insults accompanied every touch of the ball by the Egyptian players throughout the first half. These serious incidents did not trigger FIFA’s anti-racism protocol, which calls for halting, suspending, or abandoning a match in case of persistent fan misconduct. It wasn’t until halftime that a simple reminder message of the law was displayed on the screens at the Barcelona stadium.
Present at the stadium, Catalan Minister of Sports, Berni Álvarez, strongly criticized the slow response of FIFA and the Spanish Royal Football Federation, denouncing the presence of far-right groups within the ultras movement. The Catalan government announced the opening of an investigation entrusted to Mossos d’esquadra.
On the other hand, the Spanish Minister of Justice lamented “unacceptable behavior” in “a country of hospitality, respect, and coexistence,” while Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente expressed his total disgust at these racist acts. However, the most commented statement came from Yamine Lamal, the prodigious Barca player:
“I am Muslim. (…) Using a religion as a provocation on the field makes you ignorant and racist,” wrote the star striker of La Roja, while urging not to generalize all supporters.
Could there be sanctions in store for the Spanish national team? This matter could have consequences as FIFA, now in possession of all the necessary elements, could take action based on Article 15 of its disciplinary code, which states that any discriminatory words or acts based on religion, race, or origin could result in fines, matches behind closed doors, sporting penalties, or even exclusion from competitions.
Regardless of any potential sanctions, this drawn match, both on the field and in the stands, serves as a serious warning for Spain, which will co-host the future World Cup 2030 with Morocco and Portugal.
