Soccer chants have long served as a vocal heartbeat for supporters, yet their origins and forms differ sharply across continents.
In England, the tradition of spontaneous chanting often begins in the stands of clubs such as Brentford and Scunthorpe United, where fans traveling to away matches will launch a melody on the spot.
Origins in English Terraces
A handful of leaders typically start the chant, and if the atmosphere grows electric the refrain can ripple through the crowd, turning a simple cheer into a communal anthem.
American supporters, by contrast, often rely on pre‑made chants and cue cards, a practice shaped by the structured nature of U.S. sports events and by the influence of college football traditions.
American Adaptations
The USMNT’s ‘I believe that we will win’ chant, for example, originated in collegiate stadiums before spreading to the national team’s repertoire, illustrating how campus culture can seed soccer chants.
Atlanta United fans have incorporated Spanish chants and Latin drum beats into their supporter culture, blending local linguistic flavors with the broader supporter movement.
Stadium rules and cultural expectations in the United States also limit the scope for completely improvised chants, prompting fans to adapt within those boundaries while still seeking to push back against homogenised fan experiences.
The piece notes that while globalisation has spread musical motifs across stadiums, chants remain a potent tool for fans to assert identity and, at times, to drown out offensive or racist slogans that may surface in any setting.
The article was compiled by Michael Harris II, Billy Grant, Tom Clark, Michael Gruber, Katie Jordan, and Les Back, whose research draws on field observations in London, Boston, Dallas, Columbus, Austin and beyond.