The Chicago Fire’s 2025 season came to an unceremonious end on Saturday night — not only because of a 3–0 playoff defeat to the Philadelphia Union, but also due to an ugly display in the stands that forced the match to be temporarily halted.
Match Stopped After Offensive Chant
With Philadelphia comfortably ahead midway through the second half of their first-round MLS playoff clash, referee Victor Rivas stopped play in the 78th minute after hearing the “puto” chant — a Spanish-language slur shouted by sections of the Fire’s home crowd.
The word, while literally meaning “male prostitute,” is widely recognized in soccer circles as a homophobic insult. Anti-discrimination groups such as Fare Network describe it as a term used “to insult or demean gay men in a derogatory way.”
As the chant echoed around Soldier Field, officials halted the game and both teams gathered near the benches while Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter stepped toward the stands, personally pleading with supporters to stop.
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Berhalter’s Plea and Fans’ Defiance
“We’re trying to get back into the game — help us out!” Berhalter could be heard shouting, in a video widely circulated on social media. Despite his plea, the chant reportedly resurfaced later in the match, just before the final whistle.
The stoppage capped an already disappointing night for the Fire, who were outplayed throughout and eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs after a 3–0 loss that sent the Union through to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Club Condemns ‘Unacceptable’ Behavior
Following the game, Chicago Fire FC issued a strong statement denouncing the behavior of the fans responsible for the slur.
“We’re disappointed in the unacceptable chanting that came from a group of our fans at this evening’s match,” the club said. “That behavior does not reflect who we are as a club or the values we stand for. The use of derogatory language at our matches is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering an environment where all fans, players, and staff feel safe and welcome.”
The team also indicated that it will work with MLS and stadium security to identify individuals involved, signaling possible bans or sanctions.
A Recurring Issue in Soccer
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Major League Soccer has dealt with the chant. Earlier this season, San Diego FC’s inaugural match in March was marred by the same slur, prompting stadium officials to flash a message reading “Discrimination has no place in our sport” on the scoreboard.
The problem extends beyond the MLS as well. Fans of Mexico’s national team have frequently used the chant during international fixtures, leading FIFA to impose fines and force Mexico to play World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors during the 2022 cycle. Even a Mexico–Brazil friendly last year was temporarily suspended after the chant resurfaced.
Season Ends on Sour Note
For Berhalter — the former U.S. men’s national team coach in his first year with Chicago — Saturday’s loss ended what had been an otherwise encouraging campaign. The Fire finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-8-11 record, scoring 68 goals — the second-most in MLS this season.
After drawing 2–2 and losing on penalties in Game 1 of the best-of-three series, the Fire’s season officially came to a close in Game 2 — overshadowed by a controversy that left fans, players, and the club itself deeply disappointed.
As Philadelphia advanced to the semifinals, the night served as another reminder that while progress has been made in tackling discrimination in soccer, moments like this show how far the sport still has to go.
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