Long before Boston Legacy FC took the field for the first time, a dedicated group of supporters was already laying the groundwork for what would become one of the NWSL's most passionate fan communities. The Boston Independent Supporters' Association (ISA) began organizing more than two years before the club's inaugural match, determined to give the new franchise an identity and energy from day one.
That commitment came to fruition on March 14, 2026, when Boston Legacy played its first home match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. ISA members marched into the stadium behind a Boston Public Schools marching band, waving "Up the Swans" scarves before unveiling a hand-painted tifo reading "Our Legacy Takes Flight," featuring an image of a swan draped in the club's black and green colors. More than 30,000 fans witnessed the display inside the nearly 65,000-seat venue.
"We'd all been building up to this point, and then the players are coming on to the field, and the tifo is up, and it all just starts," said Paige Wetzel, a member of the Boston ISA, describing the emotional buildup after years of anticipation without a roster or even a team name to rally behind.
Creating a supporters' culture from nothing presented unique challenges. Boston Legacy, one of two NWSL expansion clubs this season, does not yet have a permanent home stadium — the team splits its schedule between Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, while White Stadium in Boston undergoes construction until 2028. The city had also gone nearly a decade without a professional women's soccer team since the Boston Breakers folded after the 2017 season.
Anna Esten, the ISA's membership chair, said that history fueled the group's determination to build something lasting. The ISA began organizing shortly after the NWSL announced Boston as an expansion market in September 2023, working closely with club founders and ownership well before the team had branding or players.
That collaboration proved crucial when the club's initial branding rollout in October 2024 — under the name BOS Nation FC with the widely mocked slogan "Too Many Balls" — drew heavy criticism. The ISA participated in focus groups that helped shape the eventual rebrand to Boston Legacy FC, complete with its swan emblem. Jammy Torres Millet, who served as the ISA's team liaison from September 2024 to June of this year, said the process helped rebuild trust with fans while giving them a genuine voice in shaping the club's identity from the outset.
On game days, the ISA hosts tailgates and away-game watch parties, while their in-stadium presence — flags representing players' home countries, coordinated chants, and constant drumming — has become a fixture regardless of results. The Legacy endured a rocky start to their debut season, opening 0-5-1 before securing their first win, and currently sit third-from-bottom in the league standings at 6-12-5. Still, supporters have kept the energy consistent, including chants like