FMF considers filing an appeal to CAS against FIFA sanction

Once the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) was notified by FIFA that its appeal to play the next two home matches of the World Cup Qualifying Tournament with a home crowd was rejected, the FMF's legal department has taken the case and is considering taking it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

According to ESPN a source with knowledge of the resolution handed down by the FIFA Appeals Committee said "The matter is being handled by our lawyers. For now we are not going to comment on anything,".

FMF lost its appeal to FIFA

On Monday, the FMF lost its appeal to FIFA for the sanction of two matches behind closed doors for discriminatory shouting during the matches against Canada and Honduras on the FIFA World Cup in October, as well as the fine of 100,000 Swiss francs (almost 110,000 USD).

According to ESPN, a FIFA spokesperson said about the sanction: "In regards to the sanction imposed on the Mexican Football Federation by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee due to homophobic chanting by Mexican fans during the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Canada and Honduras, the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to uphold the FIFA Disciplinary Committee's decision in its totality (a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs and an order to play their next two official home matches behind closed doors),".

World Cup qualifiers will be more complicated without a home crowd

If the sanction is upheld, the Mexican national team will play the qualifying matches for Qatar 2022 against Costa Rica on January 30 and against Panama on February 2 without public spectators.

Once the decision is confirmed, it will be difficult for the Mexican national team to play in other stadiums, such as Jalisco, in the run-up to the Qatar 2022 World Cup. 

This is the second ban that the Mexican national team must pay in the qualifiers for Qatar 2022, after the game against Jamaica was also played behind closed doors, due to a sanction that was carried over from the Pre-Olympic Games played in Guadalajara at the beginning of 2021.

For now, the FMF is analyzing taking the case to CAS for a final resolution, since the decisions of the highest court in the sport are unappealable for all parties.