The New York City FC (NYCFC) supporters’ section created an electric atmosphere around Citi Field that was vibrant, boisterous, and unrelenting for the entire 90 minutes of their first-round playoff match on Sunday night.
NYCFC won 3-1 against FC Cincinnati in Game 2 of the best-of-three series, and, as usual, the Third Rail and Los Templados #12 supporters’ groups were there to watch, cheer and motivate their team to win. Both are officially recognized groups by the club and have been around since the club’s inception in MLS. And both support the team in their own unique ways.
The Third Rail, founded on May 21, 2013, is named after the electrified third rails that power most New York City subway cars on parallel tracks. The trains are “the lifeblood” of the city and are the main systems that connect people from all five boroughs.
“We want to be the electricity that powers New York City FC, from the organization to the players on the pitch,” the group’s website said.
NYCFC’s largest organized supporters’ group hosts tailgates outside of every match, home and away, even while they don’t have a permanent home yet. By providing food and drinks to members, selling their own group merchandise, and congregating rain or shine, the Third Rail has created a community that spans all five boroughs, with each borough having its own Third Rail supporter’s group.
“It’s important for us because we got a space over here where we can tailgate,” Felix Palao, a Third Rail board member, told amNewYork. “It gives us, you know, we get to serve our, you know, serve our members, and just really make sure everyone has a good time out here, you know. So when we get into the stadium and, you know, we bring over the internet, it’s over here, we bring it inside city here
Los Templados #12 was founded in 2015 and works to bring the “barra” supporters’ culture in Latin American soccer to the city. The “#12” symbolizes their support as the 12th man for NYCFC, giving their team a figurative extra man on the pitch with their support. The group works hand in hand with the Third Rail before matches; where the Third Rail focuses on pre-match tailgates and getting supporters together, Los Templados plan the marches from the tailgate to the stadium and bring the banners, drums, and tifos to the stadium to show out.
They are inside every stadium, making the noise and creating an immediately noticeable sea of City Blue when you enter any stadium in the MLS.
“The Islanders, Rangers, Jets, Giants — those teams already have established cultures that have been around for so long. There’s no changing it,” Nico Tobon, also known as @chopcheesefc, said. “This is different. This is a new team. You actually get to form the culture of the team, so 15, 100 years down the road, whatever this culture is, we all had a part in building that culture. And I think that’s really dope.”
Tobon documents the fans that are at every match in their most passionate moments — some euphoric, some heartbreaking. In a city with bigger sports teams that attract more eyeballs and more coverage, Tobon started the account because he felt the team wasn’t doing a good job of raising awareness and wanted to showcase the passion he and the group have for their hometown team in a sport that is in the shadows of the bright lights at Madison Square Garden and MetLife Stadium.
“I’m a fan of the Knicks and the Mets, but I’d never get to talk to Francisco Lindor or Jalen Brunson,” Tobon said. “But I can talk to all the players at NYCFC. They know who I am. It’s much more small-knit where those other teams are just conglomerates.”
