Violence Erupts After LA Galaxy’s Loss in San Diego, Sparks Fan Safety Concerns
The rivalry between the LA Galaxy and expansion side San Diego FC turned violent on Saturday night, as multiple brawls broke out at Snapdragon Stadium following the Galaxy’s 2-1 loss.
The escalating tensions between the clubs’ supporter groups is raising serious questions about matchday security for rivalry matches.
Videos circulated widely on social media showed fighting erupting inside the stadium after the full-time whistle. According to CBS 8 San Diego, one person was reported to have sustained minor injuries, and police responded in large numbers, with SDPD helicopters overhead and threats of using pepper balls to disperse crowds. As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been confirmed from the incident.
The trigger appears to have been a months-long feud between the Galaxy’s Angel City Brigade and San Diego’s Daygo Boys supporter group. According to comments on the LA Galaxy subreddit, the Daygo Boys had a flag stolen by ACB during the team’s February meeting in Carson. On Saturday, Galaxy supporters brought the stolen flag to Snapdragon Stadium and displayed it upside down after full time—a provocative act that incited immediate retaliation.
Multiple eyewitness accounts from Reddit users described members of the Daygo Boys and allied San Diego groups confronting Galaxy fans in the upper deck, leading to physical confrontations in the stands and the walkways around the visiting sections. Some fans described scenes of chaos and fear, while others blamed both sides for escalating the situation.
“This is the second match with an LA team where you had a security failure,” wrote u/TJ_Tacos4me on SDFC’s subreddit. This was in reference to a similar brawl that occurred between San Diego and LAFC supporters on March 29. “They have given the franchise a black eye, and have created a dangerous situation for everyone else.”
That March match saw LAFC fans clash with San Diego supporters in the stands and outside the stadium, prompting widespread criticism of both fan behavior and Snapdragon’s security protocols. Several videos showed beer throwing, verbal abuse, and at least one violent altercation, fueling concerns that the venue wasn’t prepared for high-tension rivalry games.
San Diego FC head coach Micky Vargas addressed the incident briefly in his postgame press conference, stating, “Our club values are really clear, there's no place for violence in this sport. This is the beautiful game, it's supposed to bring joy.”
The match itself was San Diego’s second win over the defending champions in as many tries, extending LA Galaxy’s winless start to 15 matches. San Diego won both regular-season matches against the reigning MLS Cup champions in its inaugural season.
In a rare joint statement released Sunday, both clubs condemned the violence and pledged cooperation with league officials and law enforcement:
“There is no room for violence in our sport. The incidents that occurred following Saturday's match at Snapdragon Stadium do not reflect the values of either club and are entirely unacceptable.”
Both organizations also reaffirmed their commitment to fan safety and warned that violations of the MLS Fan Code of Conduct could lead to ejections or stadium bans.
Saturday’s violence adds another layer to what has become an expectedly heated rivalry in the Galaxy’s worst-ever season start. The hostility between supporter groups, once viewed as standard MLS banter, is now drawing criticism for endangering families and regular fans in attendance.
Many within both fan bases are calling for swift consequences, but whether the league or the clubs will take decisive disciplinary action is still unknown.
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