With their team sitting near the bottom of the MLS standings with just seven points through 11 games, Toronto FC fans are revolting against the club in ways MLS has seldom seen.
Several supporters groups have booed their own teams players over the years, and some have boycotted matches, or turned their backs on the game in the stadium. Yet, few have been as vocal as TFC supporters in recent weeks.
During Saturday’s 2–0 loss to the New England Revolution, tensions continued growing between the supporters and the club. Fans were stripped of their banners and reportedly escorted out of the supporters' sections at BMO Field, which have become less packed since the team’s form dipped.
Toronto FC has not made the MLS Cup Playoffs since the 2020 pandemic-shortened season and were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 Canadian Championship on Wednesday, losing to rivals CF Montréal.
At the start of Saturday’s match, the supporters groups in sections 114 and 115 of BMO Field’s south stand unveiled banners that read “THIS BADGE DON’T BELONG TO YOU” and “ACCEPT EXISTENCE OR EXPECT RESISTANCE,” a dig at the club’s struggles to return to contention.
Hey @TorontoFC, I’m the last one to support 114 but maybe instead of silencing supporters you should make them want to support you again? #tfclive pic.twitter.com/sEA8BaseZr
— Natasha B-d. (@natasha_bd) May 3, 2025
The recent displays come just weeks after fans hung a banner over the highway passing south of the stadium, stating “Making Losing Seem Easy,” using a word in each letter of the MLSE acronym, the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment group, which owns the club.
Saturday’s supporters also dressed in all black, representing the supporters group “Block 114,” which has a link on their website leading to the Inebriatti Facebook page, a supporters group which was officially banned in 2018 after starting a fire at an away match against the now-defunct Ottawa Fury.
Block 114 returned to the stands in 2019, but remains unrecognized by Toronto FC.
𝙏𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙏𝙤 𝙍𝙞𝙨𝙚 📈#TFCLive pic.twitter.com/O1tWY4zBgv
— Touchline TFC (@TouchlineTFC) May 3, 2025
While the play on the pitch has been uninspiring for many in the fanbase, the rebuild of the roster has also been problematic. Despite the club’s efforts, Designated Player attacker Lorenzo Insigne remains with the team and has scored no goals and one assist in seven appearances this season. At the same time, the other DP, Federico Bernardeschi, has only netted two goals and two assists in 11 games.
Several fans have also spoken out online against the club, citing concerns about the roster build, performances, and stadium experience at Toronto FC. The club qualified for the MLS Cup in 2016, 2017, and 2019 and won it in 2017
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“Something has fundamentally broken at this club, it’s more than just results,” said Toronto 'Till I Die podcaster and Toronto FC season ticket holder Mike Newell. “There is a feeling among fans that the principles of where we were going as a club from 2014-2020 has been abandoned by an organization that no longer truly cares about Toronto FC.”
Added Toronto radio journalist Michael Leach: “It’s as quiet as a church house at BMO Field. So sad to see the state of affairs with Toronto FC and the number of empty seats. When you haven’t won at home in eight months. Can’t blame fans for staying away.”
Now sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference after 11 games and having no more games to play in the Canadian Championship, TFC will look to find some solace in the summer transfer window and make the most of the remaining 23 regular-season matches.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Revolting Toronto FC Fans at Odds with Club Over Protest Banners .
