American Outlaws Remove Part of Tifo Before USA-Mexico Game

The US Men's National Soccer Team is set to square off against Mexico tonight in a World Cup qualifier. After America's election of Donald Trump, some outlets are playing up the game's potential as a form of political theater. This site has warned against the implications of doing so.

In an effort to avoid ratcheting up tensions, the USMNT's supporter group the American Outlaws has decided to remove a panel of their pre-match display, known as a "tifo," in order to make sure no one will be offended.

From the New York Times:

The piece, according to one of the tifo's designers, was removed this week because of the charged political atmosphere that has followed Donald J. Trump's victory in Tuesday's presidential election. According to Kevin Glenn, a designer and local chapter vice president of the supporters group known as the American Outlaws, the deleted panel "wasn't derogatory toward Mexican fans, but it was ribbing, or maybe intimidating," and given the current climate, "it just didn't need to be there."

The two teams have exchanged tifos in the past, but despite the intensity of the rivalry, none have really veered on inappropriate or controversial. Here are a couple of examples of tifos past from the USA vs Mexico games past:

The @AmericanOutlaws going with the James Bond tifo - "To Russia With Love 2017" (via @ariellec ) #USAvMEX pic.twitter.com/Ix1XMVgf0T
— KICK (@KICK) October 11, 2015

The @VillasArmy's tifo: "Sigo Siendo El Rey." #USAvsMEX pic.twitter.com/2X0vDWTGr5
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) October 11, 2015

American Outlaws "HOME" #USMNT #USAvMEX #tifo #ussoccer #ao #cjhavey pic.twitter.com/LZiKUwTNNC
— Football & Threads (@AmericanCasual1) September 11, 2013

The teams are slated to kick off at 8pm EST.