The drumbeat starts before kickoff, a low thrum you feel in your chest. In Houston, the game seems to start when the percussion kicks, and the section rises as one voice. That same rhythm is now common across the league, a Latin pulse that has changed how MLS looks, sounds, and behaves on matchday.
What once tried to mirror European terraces has become something new—something bilingual and rooted in the Americas. Teams lean into it with Spanish match broadcasts and bilingual coverage, while the stands respond with songs that glide between languages without missing a beat.
In Houston, El Batallón’s pregame procession winds through EaDo, horns and drums pulling strangers into a moving crowd. One longtime member told Remezcla in 2017 that their mission was simple: “The idea is to bring the passion of football leagues in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico to the MLS.” The sound spills into the north end and keeps time for ninety minutes. It’s the heartbeat of the Houston Dynamo on a good night, and it has shaped the city’s identity in orange.
A thousand miles east, Atlanta found a similar rhythm. La 12 de Atlanta marches with percussion and flags, then mixes Spanish and English once the singing starts. As member Sergio Guerrero told Atlanta United’s Humans of ATL series, “Soccer culture unites everybody. The team is really diverse and so is the city, with different walks of life. What brings us together is the team and supporting the team.” The effect is communal—more neighborhood block party than formal sporting event.
From noise to identity
Los Angeles shows what happens when a club hands the mic to its people. The 3252 built a North End that moves together, and its call to jump travels as fast as the drums. Chants swing between Spanish and English in seconds. “For me, being a supporter of LAFC means community,” a 3252 supporter told SoccerBible in 2019, reflecting the group’s shared sense of belonging. That sense of place powers LAFC beyond the North End, into neighborhoods and families.
League Commissioner Don Garber said that roughly one third of MLS fans are Hispanic—a larger share than any other major American league. The product is following the people. Clubs are adding Spanish commentary, heritage nights, and partnerships that feel connected to the street, not just a script.
The culture also shows up off the pitch. In Houston, supporters organized supply drives after storms and cleaned up when the city needed help. In Los Angeles and Houston alike, groups worked with their clubs to replace offensive chants with something inclusive and loud—proof that passion and respect can live in the same section.
Cross-border tournaments have supercharged summer nights, often feeling like home for fans raised on Mexico and South America. The league has leaned into that reality with Spanish-first content and a fuller calendar. The Leagues Cup gives those nights a stage and a reason to sing a little louder.
This is where MLS is heading. The soundtrack is bilingual, the choreography is collective, and the rhythm is set by fans who brought their own traditions and made them local. The drums don’t wait for a goal anymore—they set the tempo for what American soccer can be.
This story is part of 433Futbol’s Hispanic Heritage Month series celebrating the people, cultures, and communities shaping the game across the Americas. Read more from the series here.
