Cardiff City fined £15,000 over homophobic chanting

Cardiff City has been fined £15,000 by the Football Association (FA) after supporters were found to have directed homophobic chants during a Carabao Cup match against Chelsea.

An independent FA Regulatory Commission ruled that the Welsh club breached FA Rule E21 after a discriminatory chant referencing sexual orientation was heard around the second minute of Cardiff’s 3–1 defeat by Chelsea at the Cardiff City Stadium on 16 December.

In addition to the fine, Cardiff have been issued with a formal warning and placed under an FA‑mandated action plan, which will remain in force until the end of the 2026–27 season. The plan requires the club to further develop initiatives aimed at awareness, accountability and tackling discriminatory behaviour among supporters.

The club admitted the charge but said it intends to appeal against the size of the fine, describing it as “excessive”. Cardiff stated that the chanting came from a minority of individuals and said staff acted immediately on the night by deploying stewards and police, removing those involved where possible and displaying anti‑discrimination messaging on stadium screens.

In a statement, Cardiff City said it acknowledged the sanction and reiterated its zero‑tolerance approach. “No form of discrimination is tolerated at our club, nor should it ever be in society,” the statement said, adding that the club would continue to work with South Wales Police and football authorities to eradicate such behaviour from the game.

The FA noted that the chant in question is defined as a homophobic slur and has been a prosecutable offence under Crown Prosecution Service guidance since 2022.