San Diego FC's Stand for Respect and Diversity

In the sun-kissed city of San Diego, the newly minted soccer club is making waves for all the right reasons. Following an unfortunate incident involving a homophobic chant during their first home match, San Diego FC is stepping up to ensure such behaviour is firmly nipped in the bud. In an emphatic move, the club is keen to cultivate Snapdragon Stadium as a bastion of respect and diversity.

Tom Penn, the club's CEO, isn’t pulling any punches: “Not here. Aqui no is our mantra. We want fans to bring their passion, but that divisive goal kick chant has no place in our stadium. We're dedicated to uniting this community, and our message is clear – that doesn’t reflect us.”

How will they put this plan into action? Expect to see flyers nestled in every cup holder, complemented by prominent signage. They’re also ramping up security measures, ready to eject anyone who disregards these new protocols, with a potential lifetime ban in the offing for repeat offenders.

This chant, frequently echoed at Mexican National Team matches, has drawn the ire of FIFA, resulting in fines and even interruptions in play during games against the U.S. National Team. Local LGBT footballer Gaspar Araparicio, who was present at the San Diego clash where the chant echoed, remarked, “It sends a message that this behaviour won’t be tolerated going forward, and it’s high time we listened.”

Head coach Mikey Varas views this as an opportunity to showcase San Diego's values. "We aim to exemplify respect, love, compassion, and the power of diversity within our community. We’re all part of one team here on this planet, and recognising that will lead us to a much brighter future,” he stated.

As we gear up for the 2026 World Cup in North America—which will see 13 matches hosted in Mexico—the importance of addressing such issues cannot be understated.