The Night The Stands Almost Fell Silent
…EXCEPT THAT The Stands WILL NEVER Fall Silent. WE STAND IN Solidarity with La Brigada de Oro and Footy Fans Everywhere. HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED IN NASHVILLE RECENTLY.
A Memory of Passion and Unity
Last year, I had the pleasure of visiting the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S., GEODIS Park in Nashville, TN. The late August heat in Nashville didn’t slow down two of MLS’s very passionate supporters groups of Austin FC and Nashville SC. The stadium was packed, filled with golden flares and constant chants and drumming from the home team’s supporters section which I sat in.
Crazy how only a few months (and a new presidential administration) can change a place so grounded in passion, community, and safety – especially for La Brigada de Oro, Nashville SC’s largest Latin American supporters group.
A Community Under Siege
As the calendar hit May 2025, the face of Nashville’s Latin American community seemed to be changing. First came targeted raids following the Canelo Álvarez boxing match in the historical epicenter for the Latino community of Plaza Mariachi. Horrific stories of families and young adults being rounded up and captured – in public – by unmarked vans and being sent to Detention Centers.
Within the first couple weeks of the month, the city experienced a series of raids from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) a federal law enforcement agency founded in 2003. According to local news station WSMV4, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (which assisted in ICE raids along with the Department of Homeland Security) reported that they had conducted 588 traffic stops in predominantly Latin American communities and roadways, detaining 103 people.
On May 9, a day prior to Nashville SC’s match against regional rival Charlotte FC, La Brigada de Oro posted to their Instagram, “In solidarity with the injustices that we are experiencing right at this very moment within our Latino/Hispanic community. That has been so deeply affected. We have decided to cancel this Saturday’s Pregame Tailgate.” The group which was founded on the belief of “En la union esta la fuerza!” / “United we are stronger!” has been ripped apart and its president and co-founder Abel Acosta said, “our community is being terrorized right now.” He goes further to say, in an article from The Athletic: “Right now, our Latino community, or anyone of our ethnic background, is being singled out, and we’re being hunted. That’s how we feel.”
Subdued Support in Place of Supportive Song
On May 10, match day for Nashville and La Brigada de Oro, the once electric atmosphere of thumping drums, chanting, pre-game tailgates, dancing, grilling, drinking, and parades leading to GEODIS Park – the same routines I so happily witnessed back in August as a Footy Traveler in his element – were nowhere to be found. Not only were the regular vibrant scenes outside the stadium significantly subdued, but inside the cavernous and stunning 30,000+ seat stadium, the absence of large numbers of La Brigada de Oro was palpable.
"At this moment, it doesn't feel prudent to celebrate, cheer and party while so many families within our community are being separated and destroyed," the organization said in a statement.
Members of La Brigada, once united together as the first Latin American-specific supporters group of Nashville SC, now fear for their lives in a place they used to feel was their sanctuary and community. Members are afraid to go to work, leave their house, and attend matches with their group for fear that the Tennessee State Troopers and ICE were going to target Latino drivers near and around the stadium – similarly to how they did after the Álvarez fight a week prior.
"Soccer is a passion. It's something that flows in our veins and hearts. It's something we love," says Acosta. "We're in fear that going to a game or leaving the game, that they're out there, that they're specifically targeting the Latinos right now, the Hispanics. That's the fear factor... We know we're within the stadium, it's private property and they probably can't go in. But members, not just of La Brigada, but within [the] Latino community are fearful that leaving the property or even at the tailgate itself, they could come in and go after people. We're suffering. We're hurting a lot.”
Standing Together in Dark Times
As the Footy Travelers’ motto goes, “Be loud. Be proud. And be good to each other.” And through these exceptionally dark times in a variety of communities—whether bound by shared ethnic, racial, gender, or soccer-related identities—related and adjacent communities must remain united and supportive. We must “be good to each other” from afar just as much as we are in person. In Nashville, the soccer community has been coming together in face of such challenging circumstances.
The community has been swelling with support for their fellow fans, friends, and community members. Galvanizing together through severe hardship. Donating their resources and raising funds for The Belonging Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Mayor's office to provide emergency support for immigrants and refugees in crisis. Rallying behind friends and families scared to go to work and put food on the table, or circulating literature to educate people on their rights during encounters with law enforcement.
The Heart of the Soccer Community
"I've been taken back by the outpouring of support within the soccer community here," Acosta says. "That is something that we cannot describe, how heartwarming it is to feel the soccer community reach out to us La Brigada and the Latino community and want to see what they can do to help, any way they can show support."
"To be honest, I didn't expect any less within the soccer community," he adds. "Unlike other sports, it's truly the global sport... If any sport or any fan base in general was to be supportive and understanding of the impact that this is having in our society and our community, it will be the soccer community. Because they know that they feel it because we all really do come from different countries and different places."
Our Unwavering Commitment
As The Footy Travelers, we believe the beautiful game is for everyone—no matter where you're from, what language you speak, or which flag you wave. We have always seen footy as a bridge between cultures, a place where chants, cheers, and shared love for the game transcend borders. When that spirit of unity is shaken, we feel it too. We stand in solidarity with La Brigada de Oro and with all fans who fear being targeted for simply existing. Our commitment is unwavering: to support and celebrate all footy lovers—at every ground, in every stand, and in every corner of the world. Together, we'll keep showing up. Loud. Proud. And good to each other. Always.
Disclosure: We sometimes ideate, draft, and/or refine content with the aid of artificial intelligence tools, and edit & revise it to reflect our own personalities & intended message.
