Mexico have returned luxury watches gifted to members of their squad ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against England after concerns over FIFA’s ethics regulations.
The World Cup co-hosts are scheduled to face England at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Sunday evening local time (Monday, 01:00 BST) as they seek a place in the quarter-finals.
American YouTuber and content creator Stevewilldoit, whose real name is Stephen Deleonardis, said he spent $1 million (£747,000) on Rolex watches for every Mexico player and member of the coaching staff.
Deleonardis presented the gifts to the squad when he met them on Monday, one day before Mexico defeated Ecuador in the Round of 32.
However, FIFA’s Code of Ethics places restrictions on the offering and acceptance of gifts. Article 21 states that gifts may only be offered or accepted if they have “symbolic or trivial value.”
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In a statement posted on the team’s official X account, Mexico confirmed that the players returned the watches by mutual agreement.
The statement also clarified that Stevewilldoit presented the gifts “on his own initiative.”
Mexico are aiming to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1986, when they advanced to the last eight before being eliminated by West Germany on penalties.
