Charlotte FC versus the refs: Is there really a disciplinary agenda?
By Rylee McKinney - @rylees_roster
It is not uncommon to hear Dean Smith discuss the impact of refereeing and VAR post-match. From the sound of it, Charlotte FC appear to be victims of a disciplinary agenda or, at the very least, inconsistencies in referee decision-making.
With controversial calls continuing to pile up, how much have officiating decisions actually affected Charlotte’s season, and is there evidence the Crown are being treated differently?
Currently, the Crown sits in 4th place in the Eastern Conference at 43 points. Leading the EC are Nashville (60 pts), New England Revolution (46 pts) and Inter Miami (46 pts).
After Charlotte's last loss against Chicago FC, the gap between 4th and 5th place has narrowed to only one point. A red card for defender Tim Ream in the 99th minute set the tone for the post-match presser.
Yet, Ream's ejection came in extra time, and Charlotte failed to equalize, leaving the pitch with zero points. So, how disciplined is Charlotte FC really compared to other MLS teams and players?
Team Disciplinary Rankings
Per ESPN's 2026 MLS Discipline stats, Charlotte FC sits at 13th place. Out of 27 matches played, they have recorded 53 yellow cards and three red cards.
At the top of the disciplinary list is Inter Miami CF with 73 yellows and three reds. Way at the bottom of the list is Columbus Crew with 47 yellows and zero reds.
In the top 15 disciplined teams, 8/15 are Eastern Conference teams. This is only slightly higher than the Western Conference, showing no real inconsistencies between the East and West.
Another report by Opta Analyst shows that Charlotte is 20th in recorded fouls at 292, compared to 1st-place Colorado Rapids at 374. This suggests that Charlotte lands towards the middle/end of the rankings for most fouled teams across the MLS in 2026. See full Opta Analyst report here: https://theanalyst.com/competition/mls/stats
Individual Player Discipline
Examining discipline at the player level revealed Ashley Westwood as the top MLS most-booked player.
According to ESPN's regular season report through September 27, Westwood earned two foul yellows and eight non-foul yellows.
Foul yellows refer to cards issued for physical infractions during play, whereas non-foul yellow cards are issued for administrative misconduct or unsporting actions.
So, Ashley Westwood's recorded cards show his aptitude towards verbal misconduct rather than play-related actions.
Just behind Westwood is Chris Durkin (St. Louis City) at 10 foul yellows to one non-foul yellow.
One other Charlotte FC player is on the list, Wilfried Zaha, but he is no longer with the club, making Westwood the sole representative. Based on these stats, San Jose actually has the most players on this list at four: Preston Judd, Reid Roberts, Benji Kikanovic and Ronald Vieira.
Summary
ESPN's disciplinary statistics at this point in the MLS regular season contradict some of the frustrations voiced by Charlotte FC regarding unfair refereeing.
While controversial decisions have certainly fueled frustration around the club, the overall numbers do not suggest that Charlotte is being disproportionately disciplined compared to the rest of MLS.
Despite Ashley Westwood being the league's most-booked player, the majority of his yellow cards have come from non-foul situations rather than physical fouls during play. This points more toward frustration and a lack of composure than a pattern of Charlotte players being overly punished for their challenges.
With seven regular-season matches remaining and the Eastern Conference playoff race tightening, Charlotte cannot afford to let officiating decisions become a distraction.
Whether individual calls are justified or not, the Crown will need to maintain their discipline and composure down the stretch if they want to secure a strong playoff position.
