West Ham United’s Manor Solomon, center, applauds fans after the Burnley v West Ham United match at Burnley, Britain on Aug. 16, 2026. Photo: Action Image via Reuters

West Ham asked fans of the East London soccer team on Thursday to stop singing a chant targeting its newest member, Israeli forward Manor Solomon, that was heard during his debut with the club.

The chant was sung by a section of West Ham fans during the team’s away game and opening 2026/27 EFL Championship match against Burnley on Sunday that ended in a 2-2 draw, with Solomon scoring the second goal. As seen in footage shared online, West Ham supporters were chanting: “Manor Solomon’s on my mind, and he hates the Palestine.”

West Ham will host its first home game of the EFL Championship season against Charlton Athletic on Saturday at London Stadium and is expected to have 62,500 people in the stands.

In a released statement, West Ham condemned the “offensive and divisive chant containing an anti-Palestine message” and urged fans not to sing it at their game this weekend.

“We understand that singing and chanting is a traditional and deeply embedded part of the matchday experience. We encourage our supporters to sing loud and proud about their football club and the players wearing the claret and blue shirt, but never in a way that creates division or causes offense among fellow fans,” the team said in a statement on its website. “We are immensely proud of the fact that West Ham United has always been an inclusive football club, ever since our formation in 1895 … in the 131 years that have followed, that identity has evolved with the club located in one of the most diverse and multicultural areas of London, always open and welcoming to those who become members of the West Ham family and share the values we cherish.”

The team reiterated that “equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of the club” and they believe in the ability of soccer “to unite and bring people together.”

“We expect those who represent the club – be that players, staff, officials, or supporters – to share those values and ensure that, regardless of individual backgrounds or beliefs, we are as our name says: United,” West Ham stated. “Let’s make sure our support is something to be proud of and the envy of all who face us.”

Solomon, 27, signed a three-year deal and joined West Ham earlier this month after playing for London’s Tottenham Hotspur. He has previously played for Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won three Ukrainian Premier League titles, Fulham, Leeds United (when the team won the Championship), Villarreal, and Fiorentina. He started his professional soccer career at Maccabi Petah Tikva in Israel.