Eight fans wearing XX-XY Athletics clothing were removed from the Portland Thorns FC match against the Washington Spirit at Providence Park on Sunday, 6 September 2026, before some members of the group were later asked to leave a Portland sports bar. The Thorns said the eight people were removed because they were distributing 'unapproved materials', which the club said violated its Fan Experience Guidelines. The club also said the incident remained under investigation.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Fan Code of Conduct includes restrictions on certain displays involving electioneering, campaigning or advocacy for or against a political party, candidate or legislation. The code also contains provisions covering discriminatory words, signs, symbols and actions. However, the reason for the Thorns' decision remains disputed.
Sousa Disputes the Club's Explanation
Amy Sousa, one of the fans removed, disputed the club's account. She said the group had brought five printed copies of the NWSL and Providence Park codes of conduct after receiving a message from local activist Hannah Perry about their planned attendance. According to Sousa, the documents were intended as references so the group could understand and follow the stadium rules, rather than materials intended for distribution to other spectators.
She said the copies were shared among members while they were seated and facing one another. Sousa also questioned the Thorns' account, arguing that any distribution to other spectators would have been captured on video. That version of events has not been independently established. The Thorns, meanwhile, maintained that the distribution of unapproved materials was the reason for the removal.
The Group Wore XX-XY Athletics Clothing
The group wore XX-XY Athletics clothing featuring messages including 'Save Women's Sports', 'Girls just wanna have fundamental rights', 'Woman' and 'It's common sense'. Sousa said the clothing had initially been covered when the group entered Providence Park. Video posted by Sousa later showed her questioning security after taking her seat.
The group was subsequently given a Providence Park notice citing a Code of Conduct violation and warning that additional penalties, including a possible ban, could follow. The fans presented the slogans as support for women's sports.
The Sports Bra later characterised the messaging differently, saying the clothing advocated the exclusion of trans women from sport. The different accounts mean the role, if any, played by the clothing in the Thorns' decision remains contested.
The Group Later Went to the Sports Bra
After leaving Providence Park, members of the group went to The Sports Bra, a Portland venue focused on women's sports. Their visit ended when a staff member asked them to leave, saying other people inside were uncomfortable with the messages displayed on their clothing.
The staff member was also heard warning that authorities could be called if the group had to be removed. Members of the group objected, with one saying there was 'nothing wrong with these shirts'. Storyful reported that five patrons were asked to leave, including a man reportedly wearing a plain shirt without a message.
The Sports Bra Explained Its Decision
The Sports Bra later defended its decision, saying its mission is to 'support, promote, and empower ALL girls and women in sports'. The venue said it considers trans girls to be girls and trans women to be women and does not tolerate messages or conduct that it believes demean or exclude its community.
The Sports Bra characterised the group's apparel as advocating the exclusion of trans women from sports. It said staff offered the group the choice of covering the messaging or leaving, and that the group chose to leave rather than cover the clothing. Those statements represent the venue's explanation for its decision and should not be treated as an independently established finding about the group's intentions.
Two Removals in One Day
The incidents created an unusual sequence, with eight people removed from the Thorns match before five members of the group were later reported to have been asked to leave The Sports Bra. The two sides offered different explanations for what happened at Providence Park.
The Thorns pointed to its stadium rules and its allegation that unapproved materials were being distributed, while Sousa disputed that account and said she believed the group had been targeted because of its political views.
At The Sports Bra, the venue said its decision centred on the messages displayed on the clothing and its policy of supporting an inclusive community. The precise circumstances surrounding the first removal therefore remain disputed. What is established is that the incidents placed the same group at the centre of a wider debate over women's sports, political expression and the inclusion of transgender athletes.
