FIFA sanctioned the Spanish federation over racist chants aimed at supporters during Spain's friendly against Egypt last March. The punishment means Spain's next international friendly will be played with part of the stadium closed and includes a financial fine.
FIFA punishment
GOAL, citing the British Broadcasting Corporation, said FIFA ordered Spain to play their next international friendly in a partially closed stadium.
FIFA said Spain must play their next international friendly with 15% of the stadium's capacity closed, with most of it behind the two goals.
FIFA said the Spanish federation may, with FIFA's approval, use those seats for community groups or special categories such as families, students and anti-discrimination organisations.
FIFA said the punishment also includes a financial fine of 20,000 dollars.
What happened during the match
Around the tenth minute of the first half of a goalless draw, a group of Spain supporters began chanting anti-Muslim slogans, among them "whoever doesn't jump is a Muslim".
The chants started up again at the beginning of the second half.
The screens at the RCDE Stadium flashed up a message warning fans against discriminatory behaviour and urging them to stand against it.
Officials repeated the message at the start of the second half, and some of those in attendance jeered.
Disciplinary case and defence
FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Royal Spanish Football Federation over what it described as "anti-Islamic and xenophobic" chants.
In the aftermath, the Spanish Football Federation condemned the anti-Muslim chants.
In its defence submissions, addressed in the grounds of the disciplinary decision published by FIFA, the Spanish federation argued that the chants did not amount to discriminatory behaviour.
The disciplinary committee threw that out.
Committee members noted that the Spanish federation could not convincingly insist the chants were entirely harmless while simultaneously justifying the activation of anti-discrimination procedures inside the stadium.
Reactions
Head coach Luis de la Fuente called it "something intolerable".
Luis de la Fuente said "violent people use football to create a space for themselves".
Egypt's federation condemned the chants heard during the match, calling them "a repugnant and unacceptable racist act".
Egypt's federation said the actions of a limited group of fans would not affect the close relations between the Egyptian and Spanish federations.