Mexico's World Cup squad had to return luxury watches worth $1m (£747,000) that were gifted to them by American YouTuber Stevewilldoit, whose real name is Stephen Deleonardis, because FIFA's Code of Ethics restricts expensive gifts. The incident, which happened just days before their last-16 match against England, highlights two often-overlooked aspects of football's governing body: strict regulations on what players and officials can accept, and contingency plans for weather disruptions that could affect high-stakes matches like the one scheduled at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium.
The basics are straightforward. Deleonardis met the Mexico players on Monday and presented each player and staff member with a Rolex watch. The team's X account later posted that the players decided to return the watches "by mutual agreement" and that the gifting was done "on his own initiative." FIFA's Code of Ethics, specifically article 21, states that gifts can only be offered or accepted if they "have symbolic or trivial value." Luxury watches do not meet that threshold, so the squad had to hand them back.
“FIFA's gift rules and weather contingency plans explained, using Mexico's watch return and England match storm risks.”
The background to these rules lies in FIFA's efforts to prevent corruption and undue influence within the sport. The Code of Ethics sets clear boundaries on what constitutes an acceptable gift, aiming to maintain integrity and impartiality. While the Mexico players did not seek out the watches—Deleonardis acted on his own—the rules still applied. This is not the first time such a situation has arisen; footballers have previously been warned about accepting expensive items from fans, sponsors, or agents.
For UK readers, this matters because England faced Mexico in the World Cup last-16 at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday night (01:00 BST Monday). The match was already under scrutiny due to potential storms, with lightning, thunder and heavy rain forecast. FIFA has a plan in place if such weather disrupts the game: matches can be delayed, suspended, or even abandoned. If a match is abandoned, FIFA's rules dictate that it may be replayed in full or the result at the time of abandonment may stand, depending on the stage and circumstances. For knockout games, if the match cannot be completed on the day, it is typically rescheduled for the next day.
Q: Why did Mexico have to return the watches? Because FIFA's Code of Ethics forbids players and officials from accepting gifts that are not of "symbolic or trivial value." The Rolex watches, costing about $1m in total, clearly exceeded that threshold, so the team returned them voluntarily.
Q: What happens if a World Cup match is interrupted by a storm? FIFA has a contingency plan: the referee may suspend play if lightning or heavy rain makes conditions unsafe. If the match cannot resume within a reasonable time, it may be abandoned and rescheduled, typically for the next day, with the score potentially reset or kept depending on the rules.
Q: Who is Stevewilldoit and why did he gift the watches? Stevewilldoit is the online alias of American YouTuber Stephen Deleonardis. He met the Mexico squad and gave them the watches on his own initiative, reportedly spending $1m. The players decided to return them after realising the gift violated FIFA rules.
What happens next for Mexico is that they face England in the last-16, hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since hosting the 1986 World Cup. The watch incident is now closed, but it serves as a reminder to all teams about FIFA's strict gift regulations. Meanwhile, fans and officials will be watching the weather forecast closely, as storms could cause delays or even a postponement of the high-stakes knockout match.