FIFA's opposition to any form of discrimination is so firm that the topic deserves a specific article in the organisation's statutes.

Article 3 ("Non-discrimination and stance against racism") in the general provisions states: " Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or groups of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion."

FIFA Disciplinary Code
The FIFA Disciplinary Code describes the sanctions incurred by violations of the FIFA Statutes. Applicable to all matches and competitions organised by FIFA, the Disciplinary Code must be obeyed by all the associations and their respective members including clubs, officials, players, match officials as well as any other persons FIFA admits to a match or competition, including spectators.

As part of its efforts to rid football of racism, FIFA has made a clear statement with the recent revision of article 58 of the Disciplinary Code, which explicitly states that any form of disparaging, discriminatory or denigrating statement or action must be punished with a suspension, fine or other sanction.

Article 58 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code:

1. Anyone who publicly disparages, discriminates against or denigrates someone in a defamatory manner on account of race, colour, language, religion or ethnic origin, or perpetrates any other racist and/or contemptuous deed, will be subject to match suspension for at least five matches at every level. Furthermore, a stadium ban and a fine of at least CHF 20,000 will be imposed on the perpetrator. If the perpetrator is an official, the fine will be at least CHF 30,000.

2. If spectators display banners bearing racist slogans, or are guilty of any other racist and/or contemptuous behaviour at a match, the appropriate body will impose a sanction of at least CHF 30,000 on the association or club that the spectators concerned support and force it to play its next official match without spectators. If the spectators cannot be identified as supporters of one or the other association or club, the host association or club will be sanctioned accordingly.

3. Any spectator who is guilty of any of the offences specified under par. 1 and/or 2 of this article will be banned from entering any stadium for at least 2 years

4. If any player, official of a club or of an association, or spectator perpetrates any kind of racist or contemptuous deed as described by par. 1 and/or 2 of this article, three points will automatically be deducted from the team concerned, if identifiable, after the first offence. In the case of a second offence, six points will automatically be deducted, and for a further offence, the team will be relegated. In the case of matches without points, the team concerned, if identifiable, will be disqualified.

5. Sanctions imposed on the basis of this article may be reduced or even disregarded if the player, team, club or association concerned proves that it was not or was only minimally at fault for the offences in question or if other major reasons justify it, particularly if the offences were provoked intentionally to cause a player, team, club or association to be sanctioned in accordance with this article. The procedure for assessing mitigating circumstances shall be governed by this code or, in cases where this code is not applicable, by the disciplinary regulations of the relevant confederation or association.

6. The confederations and associations are required to incorporate the provisions of this article into their disciplinary code and to enforce the sanctions stipulated. If any association infringes this article, it will be excluded from international football for two years.

Code of Ethics
Article 1 ("Ethical obligations and non-discrimination") of FIFA's Code of Ethics also explicitly condemns all forms of discrimination:

All persons bound by this Code (Note: Official is every board member, committee member, referee and assistant referee, coach, trainer, and other persons responsible for technical, medical and administrative matters in FIFA, a Confederation, Association, League or club) shall adhere to the principles and objectives of FIFA in all actions within or outside of FIFA, the Confederations, Associations and clubs, and refrain from any undertaking injurious to FIFA or its principles and objectives. These persons shall respect these ethical obligations in the performance of their duties as an Official of FIFA, the Confederations, the Associations, or clubs. While discharging their duties, Officials shall under no circumstances act in a discriminatory manner, especially in terms of ethnic background, race, cultural values, politics, religion, gender or language. They shall also pledge to behave in a dignified manner.