Painting the town red and white with Atlético Ottawa spirit

Should you find yourself immersed in red smoke, gawking at a flying unicorn balloon animal and singing Spanish phrases to a drum beat during an Atlético Ottawa game at TD Place, don’t be alarmed

All of the above is encouraged as the Canadian Premier League soccer franchise makes its mark in the nation’s capital as a loud and proud, family and community-centric show.  

“You name it and it’s here,” says Alina Kassam, chief capo of the Capital City Supporters Group, responsible for organizing the energy inside the wild Section W in the southwest corner of the stadium.  

The aim is to bring a taste of European football fan culture — Atlético is owned by Spain’s infamous Atlético de Madrid operation — pushing fans to stand, chant, sing and dance. Red and white Atlético scarves and flags are commonplace, but if fans want to add their own makeshift costume flair, bring it on.

The mood has been bolstered by the fact that Atletico is challenging for the top of the CFL table. Goal-scoring sensation Samuel Salter heads up a roster that also includes grassroots talent with ties to Carleton University and Ottawa South United.  

“It’s hard for (new fans) at first because they’re not used to it, but with the goals this team has been making this year, oh, yeah, it’s (growing),” says Kassam. Enter Capital City president Bryce Crossman. Always dressed in his trademark red and white coveralls, and sometimes donning face masks in a kaleidoscope of colours, Crossman is the chief cheerleader.  

He’s accompanied by the steady drums — three of them set up on a stage five feet above the field and attached to section W — and fellow fans sporting megaphones and horns. One of the most popular choruses is to the tune of La Bamba, with Crossman holding up “Mucha Passion” and “Mucha Locura” cue cards.  

“To be red and white, you need to be crazy and have passion,” says Crossman. “We’re trying to make sure people have a good time. All we want is for them to come back to the next game. A lot of the people who join our (supporters) club are not necessarily hardcore (soccer) fans. They just like the energy.”  

The crowd's presence can have a profound influence on what’s happening on the field.

“We’re very aware of it,” said goalkeeper and team captain Nate Ingham, who played his 100th game with the franchise in early September. “It’s great. We’re super fortunate. It becomes infectious. They create the atmosphere. We create the entertainment. The fans are a lot of fun to be around.”  

When the club wins, fans in Section W call for the player of the game to grab the megaphone and lead the spectators in a victory chant. Ingham, a Newmarket, Ontario native, has bought into the community spirit. When he’s not on the field stopping shots, he can often be found serving shots, moonlighting as a bartender in Ottawa’s Little Italy district. “When I meet new people and talk about my life, it shocks some, but it’s something that has been normalized in my life for the past decade,” says Ingham, who holds a hospitality degree from his days at Florida Gulf Coast University.  

Ingham wishes more people were aware of the spirit that Atlético brings to the Ottawa sports and entertainment scene.  

“Numbers-wise, it’s the most popular (participant) sport in the country, we’re playing at the top level in Canada, and we’re fighting for first place,” he says. “But a ton of people don’t know what’s going on.”  

As of early September, Atlético was averaging 4,700 fans per game, third in the CPL. Full capacity at TD Place, which is also home to the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks, is 24,500.  

“One of the difficult things for the CPL is that we generally play in huge CFL stadiums,” said Atlético general manager J.D. Ulanowski. “Attendance is growing year by year, but it’s hard to pack the place. One of the most difficult things is to create an intimate environment.” However, Ulanowski suggests that the experience of attending an Atlético game feels “less corporate” than what generally occurs for Redblacks games or for Ottawa Senators games at The Canadian Tire Centre.  

“That celebration between players and fans after games is unique to Ottawa,” he says. “It’s a cool experience to have that connection with the fans. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that anywhere else.” Ulanowski also recognizes that the most serious soccer fans may have long held allegiances with top-flight European squads.  

Maybe their team is Chelsea or Manchester United, but maybe Ottawa can become their local team,” he says.  

Whatever their background may be, Crossman’s goal is to unearth as many boisterous boosters as possible.  

“We definitely need more crazy people to come and have fun with us,” he says. 

Show your Atlético Ottawa spirit 

CAA Members can cheer on Atlético Ottawa and save 20% on home game tickets, and up to 30% for the game on September 27, 2025.