Toronto FC supporters made their feelings toward the United States clear once again Saturday night, loudly booing the American national anthem before TFC’s 1-1 draw with New York City FC at BMO Field, on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The reaction came as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was performed before kickoff, adding another politically charged moment to the Toronto waterfront stadium’s history when relations with the United States remain seriously strained.

Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser, a former U.S. international, did not want to comment on the BMO Field reaction in his post-match press conference.

“I’m a soccer coach. I’m not a politician,” Fraser said.

U.S.-Canada trade talks reportedly broke down last weekend. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to officially rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” as tensions with Canada worsen. Trump has railed against “entitled” Canada, now claiming that Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet have been difficult to deal with and that Canada is ripping off the United States with unfair tariffs.

The scene Saturday night was strikingly familiar. TFC fans staged a similar protest in March 2025, when the American anthem was met with loud boos before the club’s home opener against the Chicago Fire. The Canadian anthem that followed received an enthusiastic response. At that time, Canadians were angered by U.S. president Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and his repeated comments about making the country the 51st state. 

The latest protest came after a summer in which Canada hosted the FIFA World Cup alongside the U.S. and Mexico — a tournament which both FIFA and the Trump administration hailed as a ‘uniting’ success. Maybe not.

Toronto FC claimed a point to extend their unbeaten run to five matches. Nicolás Fernández Mercau put NYCFC on top in the 29th minute, before substitute Dániel Sallói equalized in the 70th minute from Theo Corbeanu’s cross. 

Corbeanu also declined to answer about the booing, saying that he didn’t have all the information he needed to share an opinion: “These aren’t things that I can comment on as I’m not really aware of that situation.”