Mexico return Rolex gifts after FIFA ethics concerns in Mexico City

Mexico returns Rolex gifts amid FIFA ethics probe in Mexico City, underscoring transparency and accountability in sports governance.

Mexico return Rolex gifts after FIFA ethics concerns in Mexico City
Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
Publish: 06.07.2026
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What happened: Mexico’s national team returned luxury watches gifted by content creator Stevewilldoit in Mexico City, the squad announced after meeting the YouTuber on Monday; the decision followed FIFA’s Code of Ethics restrictions and was confirmed by the team’s official X account.

The watches were presented to players and staff the day before Mexico’s last-32 win over Ecuador at the World Cup. Stephen Deleonardis, known as Stevewilldoit, said he spent $1m on Rolex watches for every member of the delegation.

FIFA’s Code of Ethics, specifically article 21, limits offering and accepting gifts to items of symbolic or trivial value, a rule that prompted scrutiny of the presentation. The Mexico team stated the watches were returned “by mutual agreement” and that the gifts were given “on his own initiative.”

The presentation took place in Mexico City ahead of the match at the Azteca Stadium, where Mexico defeated Ecuador. The team remains focused on advancing in the tournament and aims to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986.

Officials and the squad provided the account of events via the team’s X account, and no further official sanctions or penalties were reported in the announcement. The sequence—meeting on Monday, presentation, Mexico’s win, and the subsequent return—was described as a mutual decision between the players and staff.

The amount cited by Deleonardis, $1m (approximately £747,000), reflects the scale of the gifts but the team emphasized the autonomous nature of the gesture. Mexico’s priority remains their World Cup campaign as they prepare for the next fixtures following the victory over Ecuador.

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Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
A digital news platform delivering developments in Türkiye and the world to its readers with an objective and principled perspective. Liberal TR Haber Merkezi.
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