Curva Norte Estadio Hernando Siles
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Curva ( plural: ''curve'' ) is an Italian term or name for curved stands of seating located at sports stadiums, particularly in Italy; so named, originally, due to their curved or bending shape. The curva plays an integral part in the culture of Ultras and European
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
.


Composition

The majority of stands referred to as a "curva" are located behind the goals in their respective stadiums and contain the most vocal supporters within them, often known as Ultras. They are usually curved in shape, in some form whether minor or major, often due to the presence of a running track around the pitch. The
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro, is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy, which is the home of A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. It has a seating capacity of 80,018, making it one of the largest stadiums in ...
provides an example of two prominent stands referred to as "curva", " Curva Nord" and " Curva Sud", which contain only minor curves at their corners, while the
Stadio Olimpico The Stadio Olimpico (English: ''Olympic Stadium'') is the largest sports facility in Rome, Italy, seating over 70,000 spectators. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex, north of the city. The structure is owned by the Italian Na ...
provides an example of two completely curved stands. A curva may extend from one corner flag to another or be located centrally behind the goal, bordered by two separate corner sections for ticketing or organizational purposes.


Significance

Being home to the most openly passionate supporters in a stadium, the curva is usually the focal point of a club's support. It is often the scene of dramatic choreographed displays of support and occasionally, disapproval for a team or club. These displays often take on an importance of their own, particularly in games involving rivals where both sets of supporters aim to outdo each other. In certain countries, particularly those where sports clubs and supporters are extremely reflective of the local culture, the curva can become quite politicised in nature. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a curva to be split into individual factions or groups, either solely or partially, based on politics, and for one group to hold significant control of the curva and its inhabitants on match days. Ultras groups within a curva often benefit from this degree of relative uniformity, when there are issues regarding supporters' rights and the commercialisation of sports and
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
in particular.


Locations


Algeria


Austria


Bulgaria


Bosnia and Herzegovina


China


Croatia


Cyprus


Denmark


Egypt


England


Finland


France


Germany


Greece

India


Indonesia


Ireland


Italy


Malaysia


Malta


Morocco


Netherlands


North Macedonia


Philippines


Poland


Portugal


Romania


Russia




Scotland


Serbia


Spain


Sweden


Switzerland


Tunisia


Turkey


Ukraine


See also

* Ultras *
Major football rivalries This list deals with football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where th ...
* Spion Kop


References

;Specific ;General *Testa, A. and Armstrong, G. (2008). "Words and actions: Italian ultras and neo-fascism" Social Identities, vol. 14 (4), pp. 473 – 490 *Testa, A. (2009) "UltraS: an Emerging Social Movement", Review of European Studies, vol. 1 (2), 54–63 *Testa, A. (2010). Contested Meanings: the Italian Media and the UltraS. Review of European Studies, vol 2(1), 15–24 *Testa, A. and Armstrong, G. (in press; November 2010). Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football, A&C (Bloomsbury), London, Black Publishers. {{DEFAULTSORT:Curva (Stadiums) Association football terminology Italian words and phrases