MEXICO CITY – Mexico are playing World Cup qualifiers in front of a limited number of tightly controlled fans — part of efforts to stamp out an anti-gay slur in the football-loving nation.
When Mexico meet Panama on Wednesday in the Azteca Stadium in the Mexican capital only around 2,000 of the 87,000 seats will be full, as they were against Costa Rica on Sunday.
Fearful of Mexico losing its role as joint host of the 2026 World Cup, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has introduced a system of online ticket registration and QR codes for attendees.
It has also boosted stadium security to identify anyone using the homophobic chant frequently shouted at…
