Minnesota United secured a memorable 5-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, but the match will be remembered for more than just the scoreline.
In the 91st minute, with the game well and truly decided, a toddler escaped the sideline seating and wandered freely onto the pitch at San Jose’s PayPal Park.
Apple TV analyst Kyndra de St. Aubin delivered one of the more unusual lines in sports broadcasting when she calmly announced, “Oh … there’s a baby on the field.”
Play stopped at midfield as officials and stadium staff moved quickly to address the unexpected interruption from the pint-sized pitch invader.
The Apple TV broadcast’s initial field-level camera angle did not immediately show the cause of the stoppage, leaving viewers briefly confused by de St. Aubin’s commentary.
A quick cut to a sideline camera revealed a referee handing the toddler to a stadium staff member, with the child appearing thoroughly unbothered by the whole ordeal.
Judging from the smile on the child’s face, the young visitor was having an absolute blast as they were passed off and escorted away from the action.
A woman who received the toddler near the 18-yard box appeared to say, “I’m so sorry,” as she took the child back toward the sideline.
The official MLS social media account shared a photo of the toddler on the field, appearing curious about the match unfolding in front of him near what looked to be the back line.
Minnesota United’s own social media team were quick to capitalise on the moment, posting the final score graphic alongside the caption “Like taking money from a baby.”
Loons head coach Cameron Knowles saw the funny side after the final whistle, joking, “Oh, man, it’s a little bit too early to get a lifetime ban from a stadium.”
Knowles had plenty more to celebrate beyond the amusing incident, with his side snapping a nine-match losing streak to improve their record to 7-7-7 on the season.
That result places Minnesota United 10th in the 15-team Conference West, giving the club genuine cause for optimism heading into the remainder of the campaign.
Remarkably, this was not the first time a baby has made an unscheduled appearance during an MLS fixture, with a child also running onto the pitch during a June 2025 match between DC United and the Chicago Fire.
