FIFA has slapped the Salvadoran Football Federation with a fine and attendance cuts following racist slurs from fans aimed at Suriname players in a recent World Cup qualifier. The move pushes the federation to pour the money into programs fighting discrimination.
The trouble came at the close of the September 8 game at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador. Suriname pulled off a 2-1 win over El Salvador in the second match of the final CONCACAF qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup. Suriname’s coach Stanley Menzo and player Shaquille Pinas said they heard fans yelling “negros” and “monos,” leading to quick reports to officials.
FIFA kicked off an investigation right after the match and confirmed the penalties on September 29. The federation now owes 50,000 Swiss francs, about $62,715, all of which goes toward an anti-discrimination strategy that FIFA must sign off on. For El Salvador’s next home game, at least 15% of the stadium seats stay empty, with the closures hitting the areas behind the goals hardest.
That next game sees El Salvador take on Panama on October 10 at Cuscatlán, a venue that fits around 45,000 people. The reduced crowd means fewer tickets sold and a clear hit from the bad behavior.
The federation put out a statement on September 29 accepting the sanctions and calling on fans to step up. It stressed that more slips could mean tougher hits, like losing games outright or getting barred from tournaments. The message ended with a direct plea: the future of Salvadoran soccer rides on how people act in the stands.
The group standings show why tempers ran high. After two games in Group A, Suriname tops the table with four points, El Salvador follows with three, Panama has two, and Guatemala sits at one. The top two spots grab automatic World Cup berths, while third gets a playoff chance, so every result counts.
Cases like this point to ongoing racism problems in regional soccer. FIFA sticks to a strict no-tolerance stance, handing out similar punishments before when fans cross the line. For teams in Central America like El Salvador, these qualifiers offer a key path to the big tournament, but actions off the field can throw everything off track.
The federation has just days to set up the closures and start on the anti-discrimination work before facing Panama. Both sides hope this pushes toward better respect in the game.
