Gregg Berhalter, Chicago Fire Condemn ‘unacceptable’ Chant In Mls Cup Playoffs

The Chicago Fire made a triumphant return to nan MLS Cup playoffs for nan first clip since 2017 this fall, but 1 of caput coach Gregg Berhalter’s last managerial moments successful 2025 came pinch nan fans, not nan players. 

The Fire fell 3–0 to nan Philadelphia Union successful crippled 2 of their best-of-three bid and were eliminated from nan postseason connected Saturday night. The lucifer had to beryllium stopped doubly successful nan 2nd half owed to discriminatory chants from Fire supporters. The infamous chant uses discriminatory connection wide considered to beryllium homophobic.

While nan first fewer chants went connected without punishment, nan lucifer officials began FIFA’s “Three Step Protocol” soon after, concisely suspending nan crippled for an in-stadium announcement successful nan 78th minute.

“I deliberation that it’s not who we are, it’s not who we’ve been each year,” Berhalter said pursuing nan loss. “We want a type of situation wherever group emotion coming to nan stadium, emotion celebrating nan crippled of soccer, and that chant has thing to do pinch nan crippled of soccer.”

Berhalter went complete to reside nan supporters down nan extremity asking them to stop.

The chants continued pursuing nan first pause, earlier a 2nd little region successful nan moments earlier nan last whistle.

The Fire followed Berhalter’s words pinch a squad statement: “We’re disappointed successful nan unacceptable chanting that came from a group of supporters astatine this evening’s match. That behaviour does not bespeak who we are arsenic a nine aliases nan values we guidelines for. The usage of derogatory connection astatine our matches is wholly unacceptable and will not beryllium tolerated. Chicago Fire FC is committed to fostering an situation wherever everyone—players, staff, and fans—feel safe and welcome.”

With nan loss, nan Fire move nan page to nan 2026 MLS season, wherever they dream nan prima trio of Philip Zinckernagel, Hugo Cuypers and Jonathan Bamba tin elevate their capacity and return them beyond seventh successful nan Eastern Conference and further into nan playoffs. 

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