Can Muslims sing football chants?
Yes, in most cases. Joining crowd chants that cheer your team is fine for most scholars, as long as the words are clean. It becomes a problem when a chant insults people, mocks their faith, race or tragedies, includes swearing or promotes drinking. Scholars differ about music with instruments, so many fans stick to chants without it.
Cheering together is fine
Supporting your team out loud is a normal, harmless part of sport. Football is permitted in Islam, and so is enjoying it with others. See Is football haram? Chants such as a club's name, a player's name or "come on, you reds!" are simply group cheering. They are not worship, and no one is mocked.
On music, scholars hold different views. Many allow singing without instruments, some allow music more broadly, and others are stricter about music in general. See Can I still listen to music after becoming Muslim? Plain chanting and clapping fall into the most widely accepted category.
When the words become a problem
- Insults. Songs that abuse a rival player, the referee or the other fans.
- Mocking people's faith, race, nationality or disasters. Some chants joke about tragedies or discriminate.
- Swearing and obscene lyrics.
- Songs glorifying alcohol, violence or hatred.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The believer does not insult the honor of others, nor curse, nor commit Fahishah, nor is he foul" (Jami at-Tirmidhi 1977). A chant sung by thousands is still words that you speak. If it would be a sin said in a quiet room, it is not better in a stadium.
Allah also warns believers not to insult what others worship, because they may insult Allah in return (Quran 6:108). So the same applies to chants that mock another club's religion, or any faith.
What to do in the crowd
- Learn the words. Do not sing along to a tune you only half know.
- Join the clean ones. Stay quiet, clap or take a drink when a chant turns nasty.
- Do not feel pressured. Most fans will not notice, and few will mind.
- Lead by example. Start a positive chant or sing about your own team rather than against theirs.
If you go to matches regularly, also see Can Muslims go to football stadiums? The same manners apply to rivalry in general. See Is trash talk haram?
- Clean cheering for your team is allowed.
- Avoid chants that insult, mock faith or tragedies, or swear.
- Scholars differ on music, so chanting without instruments is the safest.
- You can stay quiet when a chant crosses the line.
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