The Mexican men's national team can make a case that it is the most popular soccer team in two countries. So it is jarring to consider that fan allegiance to a controversial stadium tradition could ban El Tri from next year's World Cup and strip Mexico of co-hosting duties in 2026.
For about two decades, some El Tri fans gathered in packed stadiums in Mexico and the U.S. have incorporated an anti-gay slur into a chant aimed at opposing goalkeepers. The word has various definitions, among them "male prostitute" or "sodomite," depending on the cultural context.