BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) – The Chicago Fire’s return to the MLS Cup playoffs ended in disappointment, and controversy, Saturday night as the team and its head coach denounced a homophobic chant heard during their 3–0 loss to the Philadelphia Union.
The Fire were eliminated in Game 2 of their first-round series at SeatGeek Stadium. The match was briefly suspended twice in the second half after a group of fans in the supporters’ section began shouting a chant that’s widely recognized as a slur against gay men.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter left the sideline and approached the fans behind the goal, pleading with them to stop. “We’re trying to get back into the game,” Berhalter was heard saying as he motioned for calm.
After the match, Berhalter condemned the chant in his postgame comments, saying it does not reflect the club’s values. “It’s not who we are, it’s not who we’ve been all year,” he said. “We want a type of environment where people love coming to the stadium, love celebrating the game of soccer, and that chant has nothing to do with the game of soccer.”
The Fire issued a statement shortly after, echoing Berhalter’s message. “We’re disappointed in the unacceptable chanting that came from a group of supporters at this evening’s match,” the team 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.”
It marked the Fire’s first playoff appearance since 2017. The team now turns its focus to the 2026 season, hoping to build on the success that brought them back to the postseason.