The global governing body for football, FIFA said it has opened an investigation into alleged racial abuse directed at American streamer and Cristiano Ronaldo’s top fan Darren Jason Watkins Jr, popularly known as IShowSpeed, during a 2026 FIFA World Cup match last week.
The incident reportedly occurred during the round of 32 match between reigning world champions Argentina and Cape Verde at the Miami Stadium on July 3 when an Argentine female fan was captured in a viral video repeatedly yelling at IShowSpeed, saying “Go home, negro.”
In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA noted that it was aware of the incident and condemned the action.
“FIFA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms. These actions have no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup, or anywhere in society,” FIFA stated.
The body added, “FIFA was made aware of an incident involving a supporter and #IShowSpeed at Miami Stadium during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match on 3 July 2026 and immediately initiated an investigation.
“The FIFA World Cup is a celebration of unity, diversity and respect. It brings together people, cultures and communities from around the world, and anyone who acts in a manner that undermines these values is not welcome in our game.”
The incident is the latest high-profile case of racial discrimination connected to the ongoing World Cup after the DIPLOMATICINFO.COM report on Tuesday about Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla’s racist remarks against France forward Kylian Mbappe, which sparked widespread condemnation around the world.
In her racist rants, Ms Amarilla, who has since accused Mbappe of gender-based violence and threatened to sue him, described the Real Madrid star as a colonised Cameroonian and likened him to chimpanzees.
FIFA has also reacted to remarks about Mbappe through its Players’ Voice Panel (PVP), stating it “is deeply disturbed by the racist abuse suffered by France player Kylian Mbappé. Racism is an attack on human dignity and has absolutely no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup or in society.”
“We stand in complete solidarity with Kylian Mbappe and condemn this reprehensible abuse in the strongest possible terms. Football must always be a game of respect, inclusion and unity,” PVP honorary captain George Weah stated.
The former Liberian president added, “Football must always be a game of respect, inclusion and unity. There can be zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. Our message is clear: racism is never part of the game. It’s a crime.”
