SAN DIEGO – San Diego FC is set to take significant measures to prevent fans from using a homophobic chant that tarnished the Major League Soccer expansion club’s first-ever home game last weekend.
In a statement released Monday, two days after the club’s goalless draw with St. Louis City, San Diego FC strongly denounced the chant. The second half of the match at Snapdragon Stadium was marked by three instances of this offensive chant, which is often heard at matches involving the Mexican national team.
“This behavior at our inaugural home game does not represent who we are as a club or the principles we uphold,” the club’s statement declared. “Football serves to unite people, and in San Diego, we celebrate that inclusive spirit. Homophobic language has no place in our stadium and will not be tolerated. San Diego FC is founded on respect and the belief that soccer should be accessible to all. We are dedicated to creating an environment where fans, players, and staff feel safe and welcomed.”
The club declared its intention to take immediate action to eliminate such actions and promised to share a comprehensive plan before their next home match.
San Diego FC is scheduled to face Columbus on March 15.
Head coach Mikey Varas, alongside sporting director Tyler Heaps, condemned the notorious chant after San Diego ended its first scoreless home game before an enthusiastic crowd of 34,506 fans, celebrating the debut of Major League Soccer’s 30th team.
Varas emphasized that fans engaging in the chant should refrain from attending future matches of the club.
“I want to make it very clear that such behavior has no place in our environment,” Varas stated on Saturday. “If attendees intend to return and persist with that chant, it’s preferable they stay away from our games.”
The offensive phrase, expressed in Spanish, is typically shouted by fans as the opposing goalkeeper prepares for a goal kick. It is a common occurrence in both club and international soccer in Mexico and has regretfully become a fixture during the Mexican national team’s matches in the U.S.
Despite continuous fines from FIFA directed at the Mexican national team for their fans’ repeated use of the chant, which has resulted in game disruptions and the shortening of a match between El Tri and the United States in recent years, the chant continues to surface. It seems probable that this issue will be recurrent at the 2026 North America World Cup, which will host 13 games in Mexico.
