Controversial AFL personality Sam Newman has weighed into the soccer crowd behaviour debate, by saying fans of the world game use it to promote their ethnicity.

Speaking to 3AW on Tuesday morning, Newman – who has no history of involvement with the game of soccer in Australia – offered “my rationale about it [soccer crowd behaviour]”.

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“In AFL and NRL fans actually barrack for their team and their colours, it doesn’t matter where they live,” Newman said. 

“I’ve got a feeling in soccer [that] the crowds support their country of origin and use the sport as a vehicle to promote their ethnicity.

“The difference is that people use soccer as a vehicle to promote where they come from in the world and promote some religious or ethnic background.

“[That’s] as opposed to AFL/NRL, where they actually support the team and don’t give a stuff where you come from.”

A-League supporter groups walked out of matches last weekend in protest to Football Federation Australia’s reaction to a News Corp article, which released the private information of banned soccer supporters.

No A-League club has any ethnic or religious affiliation.

In fact, the new league was begun almost 11 seasons ago on the proviso that all teams be culturally homogenous.