Barcelona, Spain – Anti-Muslim chants and jeering of Egypt's national anthem marred a friendly football match between Spain and Egypt on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona. The incident drew strong condemnation from the Spanish Football Federation, government officials, and players, prompting a police investigation into the "Islamophobic and xenophobic" behavior. The pre-World Cup friendly ended in a 0-0 draw.[dawn+3]
Offensive Chants Mar Friendly
Sections of the home crowd were heard repeatedly chanting an anti-Muslim slogan, "jump, jump, jump, whoever doesn't jump is a Muslim," during various parts of the match. The chants were heard during the opening minutes, in the first half, and shortly after halftime. Egypt's national anthem was also booed loudly before the game began.[aa+8]
Stadium officials responded by broadcasting announcements over the public address system and displaying messages on giant screens, urging fans to stop racist, homophobic, and xenophobic chants. However, these warnings were met with hooting and whistles from some sections of the crowd.[aa+4]
Spain midfielder Pedri expressed shock at the chants after the match. "We don't agree to any sort of racist chant. We did not expect it," he said, adding that "we all have to work together to stop this from happening in stadiums". Lamine Yamal, a Muslim player for the Spanish national team and Barcelona, also condemned the behavior. He called the chants "disrespectful" and "intolerable," even though they were not directed at him personally. Yamal stated that using a religion as a form of mockery on a football pitch shows "ignorant and racist" people.[aa+5]
Federation and Government React Strongly
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement condemning "all types of violence on a football pitch". Rafael Louzan, president of the RFEF, described the incident as "specific and isolated situations" but emphasized that such attitudes must be condemned and not repeated.[aa]
Spain's national team manager, Luis de la Fuente, expressed strong disapproval. He told reporters after the match that he felt "total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitude," calling them "intolerable". De la Fuente stressed that "violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible".[aa+8]
The Spanish government also weighed in on the incident. Justice Minister Felix Bolanos condemned the chants, stating that "racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society". He added that "the far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit". Milagros Tolón, the Spanish minister in charge of sports, affirmed that "Hate, racism, and xenophobia have no place in stadiums or in our society".[dawn+5]
Police Investigation Underway
Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, confirmed they are investigating the "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants heard at the RCDE Stadium. The investigation aims to identify those responsible for the offensive behavior.[dawn+3]
This incident is the latest in a series of similar occurrences that have overshadowed Spanish football in recent years. Real Madrid's Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior, for instance, has been repeatedly subjected to racial abuse during matches. The problem of racism and xenophobia in Spanish football continues to be a significant concern for authorities and fans alike.[dawn+8]
International Outcry and Future Steps
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) decried the anti-Muslim chants as a "reprehensible racist act" and condemned the disrespect shown towards their national anthem. The EFA stated these actions are "entirely unacceptable in football stadiums" and represent a negative phenomenon that must be collectively addressed and eradicated. They are working with FIFA and other international institutions to prevent such incidents globally.[washingtonpost+1]
FIFA also responded, stating that "What happened is completely unacceptable, and FIFA remains committed to combating racism and discrimination in football". The international governing body stressed the importance of preventing any recurrence of such incidents and diligently working to eliminate this phenomenon entirely.[washingtonpost+1]
The friendly match served as a warm-up for both Spain and Egypt ahead of the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, for which both teams have already qualified. The incident has put Spain's sporting image under scrutiny and highlights the ongoing challenge of combating racism and xenophobia in football stadiums worldwide.[washingtonpost+3]
