Leyla Hamed Speaks Out as Anti-Muslim Chants Spread Across Spanish Football
Rabat – Spanish-Moroccan journalist Leyla Hamed has spoken out again as racism and Islamophobia incidents continue to surface across Spain, both in stadiums and online.
Her reaction came after another case involving fans, this time linked to Atlético Madrid supporters.
A video shared online showed a small group chanting the same phrase heard days earlier during Spain’s match against Egypt: “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim.” The chant has now appeared in multiple settings, raising concern about how quickly it is spreading.
The lack of action after these chants during the Spain vs Egypt match a few days ago is already leading to them being repeated across different stadiums in Spain.
For this to happen in a country set to host a World Cup alongside Morocco is simply unacceptable. https://t.co/tIh1HUVhxy
— Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) April 8, 2026
“The lack of action after these chants during the Spain vs Egypt match a few days ago is already leading to them being repeated across different stadiums in Spain,” she wrote.
She then pointed to the wider context,“For this to happen in a country set to host a World Cup alongside Morocco is simply unacceptable.”
From Egypt to more stadiums
During Spain’s friendly against Egypt, fans repeated the same chant inside the stadium.
The backlash was immediate. FIFA later opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Federation.
“FIFA has today initiated disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Federation for the incidents that occurred during the friendly match against Egypt,” the governing body said in a statement.
Spain winger Lamine Yamal also responded after that game.
“I am a Muslim, thank God,” he wrote. “I understand not all the fanbase is like that, but to those who sing those chants, using religion as something to mock people in a football stadium leaves you as ignorant and racist people.”
Yamal was on the pitch and directly affected. Other players and officials also condemned the chants.
Hamed’s own experience
Just days before speaking out, she filed a formal complaint after receiving racist abuse and threats online. “Today I filed my first complaint for racism and intimidation,” she wrote. She explained that the action was not only about her. “We cannot normalize this for one more day. This is for me and for all of us who continue to suffer it.”
The messages directed at her included racist and xenophobic language, referring to people of Moroccan origin as “little Moors” and questioning who belongs in Spain.
One message warned her to “keep quiet” if she wanted to live in the country. Another escalated further, suggesting she would “find out what an angry real Spaniard is like.”
Spain is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Morocco and Portugal. That puts more focus on what is happening now.
For Hamed, the repetition of these chants and the abuse she faced show that the issue is not isolated.
Read also: Spanish-Moroccan Sports Journalist Files Racism Complaint After Online Threats
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