![Tifosi curva nord lazio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Tifosi_curva_nord_lazio.jpg)
Ultras are a type of
association football fans who are renowned for their
fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tendency of ultras groups includes their use of
flares (primarily in
tifo
Tifo () is the phenomenon whereby tifosi of a sports team makes a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match.
Tifos are most commonly seen in important m ...
choreography), vocal support in large groups and the displaying of banners at football stadiums, all of which are designed to create an atmosphere which encourages their own team and intimidates the opposing players and their supporters. The frequent use of elaborate displays in stadiums is also common.
The actions of ultras groups are occasionally extreme and they may be influenced by racism and
political ideologies
An ideology is a set of beliefs or philosophies attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely epistemic, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones." Formerly applied prim ...
, including avowedly
nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...
and
anti-semitic ones.
In some instances, this goes to the point where the passionate and loyal support of one's team becomes secondary to the theoretical ideology of the ultras phenomenon. In recent decades, the culture has become a focal point for the movement against the
commercialisation
Commercialization or commercialisation is the process of introducing a new product or production method into commerce—making it available on the market. The term often connotes especially entry into the mass market (as opposed to entry into e ...
of sports and football in particular.
History
The origin of the ultras movement is disputed,
with many supporters groups from various countries making claims solely on the basis of their dates of foundation. The level of dispute and confusion is aided by a contemporary tendency (mainly in Europe) to categorise all groups of overtly fanatical supporters as ''ultras''. Supporters groups of a nature comparable to the ultras have been present in Brazil since 1939, when the first ''
torcida organizada
Torcidas organizadas () are formal (or informal) associations of football fans in Brazil in the same vein as '' barras bravas'' in the rest of Latin America, ''hooligan firms'' in United Kingdom and ''ultras'' in the rest of Europe, Asia, Austr ...
'' was formed (although these groups began to focus on violence in the 1970s). Inspired by the torcidas and the colourful scenes of the
1950 World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the fourth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams and held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July 1950. The planned 1942 and 1946 World Cups were ...
, supporters of
Hajduk Split formed
Torcida Split
Torcida Split is a HNK Hajduk Split supporters' group in Croatia with the branches in other countries, mostly, (but not exclusively) among Croat communities. Founded on 28 October 1950, Torcida is the oldest supporters group in Europe.
The gr ...
on 28 October 1950. The group is often cited as the oldest torcida style group in Europe. But the first supporters' groups in the world formed to produce violence were
''barras bravas'', originated in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
in the 1950s.
One country closely associated with the ultras movement is Italy.
The first Italian ultras groups were formed in 1951, including the Fedelissimi Granata of
Torino
Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. T ...
. The 1960s saw the continuing spread and development of the culture with the formation of the
Fossa dei Leoni
The Fossa dei Leoni (FDL ) was an association of ultras supporters of Italian professional football club Associazione Calcio Milan. Established in 1968, it was the second ultras group to form in Italy, after Commandos Tigre (also supporters of ...
and
Boys San groups, the former often regarded in Italy as the first full-fledged ultras group (associated with violence). The term ''ultras'' was used as a name for the first time in 1969 when supporters of
Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria, commonly referred to as Sampdoria (), is an Italian professional football club based in Genoa.
The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, ...
formed the
Ultras Tito Cucchiaroni with an acronym of Uniti Legneremo Tutti i Rossoblu A Sangue (such as "all together we will beat the rossoblu fans to blood", fans of Torino change her name the Ultras Granata in the 70s. The style of support that would become synonymous with Italian football developed most during the 1970s as more groups formed including the radical
S.S. Lazio Ultras in 1974 with a strong predominance of fascist slogans and chants amongst other groups such as Hellas Verona supporters. The active support of the ultras became more apparent, in contrast with the "traditional" culture, choreographic displays, signature banners and symbols, giant flags, drums and fireworks became the norm as groups aimed to take their support to higher levels.
The decade also saw the
violence and unrest of Italian society at the time overlap with the ultras movement, adding a dimension that has plagued it ever since. The ultras movement spread across Europe, Australia, Asia and North Africa during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, starting with the countries geographically closest to Italy.
Europe
Scotland
Green Brigade
The Green Brigade are a Celtic F.C. supporter ultra group formed in 2006. They are situated in the North Curve corner section of Celtic Park.
Controversy
At a match against Dundee United in November 2010, there was serious disorder in the s ...
are an ultras group that follow
Celtic F.C.
The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic (), is a Scottish professional football club based in Glasgow, which plays in the Scottish Premiership. The club was founded in 1887 with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the immigran ...
and regularly make tifo displays and often voice support for a United Ireland. They are
left-wing
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
,
anti-racist
Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...
and anti-Zionist.
On the other side of Glasgow are the Rangers F.C ultra group The Union Bears. The Union Bears are known for their elaborate fan displays and their support for Northern Irish and Scottish unionism within the UK. Block Seven are a supporters group that support
Hibernian FC. They try and stay out of politics for the most part; however the group have been accused of singing songs supporting the
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...
. Hibs fans as a whole do lean towards
Scottish nationalism
Scottish nationalism promotes the idea that the Scottish people form a cohesive nation and national identity.
Scottish nationalism began to shape from 1853 with the National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights, progressing into t ...
and also have strong links to Ireland.
England
In England, there are ultras groups at
Middlesbrough F.C
Middlesbrough Football Club ( ) is a professional football club in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium ...
(Red Faction),
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst in the Borough of Croydon, South London, England, who compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football. Although formally created as a profes ...
(Holmesdale Fanatics),
Ipswich Town F.C (Blue Action),
Leicester City F.C (Union FS),
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
(Yid Army),
Huddersfield Town F.C, and
Stockport County
Stockport County Football Club are a professional football club in Stockport, England, who compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, they were renamed Stockport Co ...
(Hatters 83). Several
Non-League football teams in England have ultras groups that are left-wing such as the fans of
Dulwich Hamlet F.C.
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in East Dulwich in south-east London, England. They are currently members of and play at Champion Hill.
History
The club was formed in 1893, by Lorraine 'Pa' Wilson. T ...
who have a group called 'The Rabble'. A
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
article claims
Casuals United is at war with anti-fascist football ultras, and have come into conflict with the
Clapton Ultras and had already caused the disbandment of the Inter Village Firm that followed
Mangotsfield United in Bristol.
Hungary
Several clubs in Hungary have large ultras groups, such as
Ferencváros
Ferencváros () is the 9th district of Budapest ( hu, Budapest IX. kerülete), Hungary.
Name
The southern suburb of Pest was named after King Francis I on 4 December 1792 when he was crowned king of Hungary.
History
The development of Fe ...
(Green Monsters),
Újpest
Újpest (; german: Neu-Pest, en, New Pest) is the 4th District in Budapest, Hungary. It is located on the left bank of the Danube River. The name Újpest means "New Pest" because the city was formed on the border of the city of Pest, Hungary i ...
(Viola Fidelity),
Diósgyőr Diósgyőr (Hungarian: dioːʒɟøːr is a historical town in Hungary, today it is a part of Miskolc. The medieval castle in Diósgyőr was a favourite holiday residence of Hungarian kings and queens; today it is a popular tourist attraction. The ...
(Ultras Diósgyőr),
Honvéd (Ultras Kispest, Északi Kanyar),
Fehérvár (Red Blue Devils),
Tatabánya
Tatabánya (; german: Totiserkolonie; sk, Banská Stará) is a city with county rights of 64,305 inhabitants in northwestern Hungary, in the Central Transdanubian region. It is the capital of Komárom-Esztergom County.
Location
The city is lo ...
(Turul Ultrái) and
Debrecen
Debrecen ( , is Hungary's second-largest city, after Budapest, the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar County. A city with county rights, it was the largest Hungarian city in the 18th century and ...
(Szívtiprók Ultras Debrecen). The national team of Hungary has an ultras group known as the Carpathian Brigade. The group was formed in 2009. Hungarian ultras occupy sector B Central at the
Puskás Aréna
Puskás Aréna is a football stadium in the 14th district (Zugló) of Budapest, Hungary. The stadium's construction started in 2017 and was finished before the end of 2019. It is an all-seater with a capacity of 67,215. The Hungarian Football Fe ...
.
Portugal
Denmark
FC Copenhagen
Football Club Copenhagen ( da, Football Club København, ), commonly known as FC København, FC Copenhagen, Copenhagen or simply FCK, is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. FCK was founded in 1992 as a superstructure on ...
(Sektion 12) and
Brøndby IF (Sydsiden) have some of the most renowned ultras groups on the continent, and the derby between the two is also one of the fiercest in Europe.
AaB's Ultra group caused a 14-minute delay in the 2020 Danish Cup final for a failure to adhere to COVID-19
social distancing
In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dis ...
rules. The group was ultimately ejected from the stadium and the game resumed, which was won by
SønderjyskE.
Italy
In Italy, most professional football clubs have an ultras group which attends every match and has dedicated seating areas in either the north or south end of the stadium behind the goals. Each ultras group will have one or more leaders who choreograph chants, and who hand out banners and flags to other people in the stand to wave throughout the match. Ultras have been credited with creating fantastic atmospheres inside the stadium; however they have also come under universal criticism because of ties to various gangs and the mafia, as well as causing violence which often takes place outside the stadium prior to a match. Over the years inappropriate chanting has resulted in the
FIGC
The Italian Football Federation ( it, Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio; FIGC), known colloquially as ''Federcalcio'', is the governing body of football in Italy. It is based in Rome and the technical department is in Coverciano, Florence.
It ...
issuing partial or full stadium bans to clubs. The ultras will choreograph a wide range of chants throughout a match, but some of the most common chants that result in a ban are anti-Southern chants towards clubs which are located in the South of Italy, most notably towards
Napoli
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, as well as racist chants towards opposition players. However, these issues only partially represent parts of the Ultras culture in Italy - Ultras in Italy are also known for fighting criminals and the Mafia, giving housing to immigrants or helping Italian citizens in need, as well as aiding with food and money during the Covid pandemic to their local hospitals.
Poland
The first Polish ultras groups were formed in 1980s by fans of
Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa (), commonly referred to as Legia Warsaw or simply Legia, is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. Legia is the most successful Polish football club in history, winning record 15 Ekstraklasa champions titles, a ...
and
Arka Gdynia
Morski Związkowy Klub Sportowy Arka Gdynia () is a Polish professional football club, based in Gdynia, Poland, that plays in the Polish I liga. The club was founded as Klub Sportowy Gdynia in 1929.
History
The history of Arka dates back to ...
. Those early ultra groups identified as either fascist or national-socialist and opposed communist government of
Wojciech Jaruzelski
Wojciech Witold Jaruzelski (; 6 July 1923 – 25 May 2014) was a Polish military officer, politician and ''de facto'' leader of the Polish People's Republic from 1981 until 1989. He was the First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party b ...
. The 1990s saw the continuing spread and development of the ultra culture with the formation of the
Wisła Sharks and
Cracovia Jude Gang groups, the former often regarded in Poland as the first full-fledged ultras group. With intimidating and non-stop chanting, they've made their presence felt in the stands. Modern hooligans try to be inconspicuous when they enter the stadium; usually not wearing team colours, to avoid detection by the police and
PZPN
The Polish Football Association ( pl, Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej; PZPN) is the governing body of association football in Poland. It organizes the Polish football leagues (without the Ekstraklasa), the Polish Cup and the Polish national footb ...
officials.
Spain
Spanish ultraism is generally agreed to have come from Italian and English ultraism and hooliganism at the 1982 World Cup held in Spain. Held only seven years after the death of Franco, the World Cup was an opportunity for Spain to join the world of modern international football. Spanish ultraism is particularly known for its dramatic and polarized distinction across two ideological cleavages: fascism and nationalism. The vast majority of ultra groups identify as either fascist or anti-fascist, and either independentist or nationalist.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosniaks are known for their national ultras group
BHFanaticos. Also, they have a few ultras that are connected to a football clubs
Manijaci,
Horde zla
Horde Zla (English: Hordes of Evil) is the organized Ultras group that supports Bosnian football club FK Sarajevo. The group's logo consists of a stylized depiction of the Grim Reaper, borrowed from a Zagor comic book at the time of the group's ...
,
Lešinari,
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
,
Škripari,
Ultrasi and many more.
Malta
Although small in size, Malta has some notable ultras groups. The main ultras groups in Malta are Birkirkara Ultras 1997, Ultas Beltin 99, and Paola Boys Hibs Ultras, as well as the
Maltese national football team ultras group, the South End Core.
Ukraine
Romania
Romania's ultras only finds itself in the traditional teams like Steaua București, Dinamo București and Rapid București. But there are some small ultras groups which support their local club. The biggest ultras groups are: Peluza Sud Steaua, Peluza Cătălin Hildan and Peluza Nord Rapid.
Africa
Algeria
Morocco
Egypt
The clubs in Egypt became a major political force during the uprising against Mubarak in 2011, but were known for long-standing animosity with the police.
When 38 members of the Ultras Devils were arrested in
Shebeen al-Kom for "belonging to an illegal group" plus additional violent offences, it was seen as a crackdown on the organisations by authorities.
In 2013, the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
stated that the Egyptian Ultras network was one of the most organised movements in Egypt after the
Muslim Brotherhood.
Tunisia
Asia
Cyprus
Gate-9 (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
:Θύρα 9) is a Cypriot fans' group that supports the football team
People's Athletic Club Omonia 1948 and all the sport departments of
AC Omonia
Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia ( el, Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Oμόνοιας Λευκωσίας, ΑΣΟΛ; ''Athlitikos Sillogos Omonias Lefkosias'', ''ASOL''), commonly known as Omonia Nicosia, or simply Omonia ("Harmony"; also tran ...
except football.
Omonia supporters are traditionally left wing. A 2009 gallop poll estimated that three out of four Omonia fans vote for the
Progressive Party of Working People
The Progressive Party of Working People ( el, Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζόμενου Λαού, ; abbr. , AKEL; tr, Emekçi Halkın İlerici Partisi) is a Marxist–LeninistHelena Smith, Cyprus gets ready for a communist 'takeove ...
, the communist party of Cyprus. While the group retains its left wing beliefs, in recent years it has been openly critical of the party's involvement in the club's administrative decisions. The party has denied accusations that it influences club decisions. Gate-9 members are associated with
communist beliefs and have been noted for waving banners bearing
's portrait, and other communist symbols. The group is also involved in humanitarian work for refugees in Cyprus. The group, besides
Nicosia, has fan clubs in
Limassol
Limassol (; el, Λεμεσός, Lemesós ; tr, Limasol or ) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population ...
, Athens,
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
,
Larnaka,
Paphos
Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos.
The current city of Pap ...
, and London.
Lebanon
The ultras scene was introduced to Lebanon in February 2018, with
Nejmeh
Nejmeh Sporting Club ( ar, نادي النجمة الرياضي, lit=The Star Sporting Club) is a football club based in Manara, a district in Ras Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the . The club was established in Beirut in 1945, and ...
's "Ultras Supernova".and White ultras for racing Beirut 2019
Their rivals
Ansar quickly followed with their own ultras group, "I Tifosi", one month later.
Ahed formed their own ultras group, called "Ultras Yellow Inferno", the same year.
Prior to the
Arab Club Champions Cup game between Nejmeh and
Al-Ahly of Egypt, played on 13 August 2018, seven "Ultras Supernova" fans were arrested by the Egyptian national security because of the negative connotations the word "Ultras" has in Egypt. The fans have been returned to Lebanon by request of the Lebanese Ambassador to Cairo.
United Arab Emirates
Al-Wasl SC
Ultras Junoon is an Emirati group that was founded in 2010 by the fans of Al-Wasl Club. This club is considered to have the largest fan base in the Emirates, and Al-Wasl Club fans are considered the first club that came up with the idea of Ultras in the Gulf region. It is mentioned that Al Wasl fans were the main reason for increasing excitement in the region and increasing the viewership of the league in the Emirates in particular. The Ultras Junoon have a great ability to preserve the history of this club, and they are close to making any decision in the interest of this club.
![Al wasl Ultras Junoon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Al_wasl_Ultras_Junoon_%22Death_Note%22_Tifo.jpg)
The (Death Note) Tifo Made by (Ultras Junoon)
Al Wasl'sArgentinian coac
Diego Maradonaduring his team's GCC Champions League semifinal match against Al Khor ]
Picture by Vinod Divakaran
India
![Manjappada unfolding their tifo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Manjappada_unfolding_their_tifo.jpg)
The Ultras scene in India was introduced by
East Bengal Ultras, the Ultras group of
East Bengal F.C.
East Bengal Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal (), is an Indian professional multi-sport club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its professional men's football team that competes in the Indian Super League, the top fli ...
in 2013 and since then it grew slowly as Ultras groups of various clubs started to form and display of "Tifo's" and "Pyro" shows became very much a part of the Ultras scene in Indian football.
One of the most supported club in Asia,
Kerala Blasters FC
Kerala Blasters Football Club (), commonly referred to as The Blasters, is an Indian professional football club based in Kochi, Kerala, that competes in the Indian Super League, the top tier of football in India. The club was established ...
has their supporters group called
Manjappada
Manjappada (; ) are an organised supporters' group of the Kochi based professional football club Kerala Blasters FC, which competes in Indian Super League, the top tier league of Indian football. One of the largest and most active fan groups ...
(Yellow Army). They were founded in May 2014 and became ultras in 2018. During their home matches at
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi)
The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, locally known as Kaloor Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Kochi, Kerala, India. The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 spectators. For Indian Super League matches it is restricted to 39,000. Th ...
the group commits to cover the stadium in as much as yellow colours, which is the primary colour of the club.
Highlander Brigade, the biggest supporters' club of
Northeast United FC
NorthEast United FC is an Indian professional football club based in Guwahati, Assam that competes in the Indian Super League, the top flight of Indian football. The club was founded on 13 April 2014 during the inaugural season of Indian Sup ...
is also growing in numbers. With intimidating large sized tifos and non-stop chanting, they've made their presence felt in the stands. Formed in 2017, they are quickly developing the Ultras scene in the Northeastern part of the country. During home games at the
Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium
Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, also known as Sarusajai Stadium, is a football stadium in Guwahati, Assam, India. It is the current home ground of NorthEast United FC. Besides hosting football matches, the stadium is also used for athletics. I ...
in
Guwahati
Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...
, their typical routine begins with a march to the stadium, followed by the display of tifos and banners before the start of the game and then 90 mins of intense chanting with megaphones and drums while waving flags of red, black and white.
Blue Pilgrims is an organised group of
football fans who support the
India national football men's team,
women's team, and all the other age–group national teams at every home and away game formed by a group of football fans of several club fan bases of football clubs from India. Founded in 2017 before the commencement of the
2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which was held in India, the group based their name on the nickname of the national team, the "Blue Tigers". They consider travelling with the national teams to wherever the teams play as their
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
. They often display flags, banners, and
tifo
Tifo () is the phenomenon whereby tifosi of a sports team makes a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match.
Tifos are most commonly seen in important m ...
s in support of the national team.
North America
Canada
United States
Characteristics
Ultras groups are usually centred on a core group of founders or leaders (who tend to hold executive control),
with smaller subgroups organised by location, friendship or political stance. Ultras tend to use various styles and sizes of banners and flags bearing the name and symbols of their group.
Some ultras groups sell their own merchandise to raise funds for performing displays.
An ultras group can number from a handful of fans to hundreds or thousands, with larger groups often claiming entire sections of a stadium for themselves. Ultras groups often have a
representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
who liaises with the club owners on a regular basis, mostly regarding tickets, seat allocations and storage facilities.
Some clubs provide groups with cheaper tickets, storage rooms for flags and banners and early access to the stadium before matches to prepare displays. These types of favoured relationships are often criticised when ultras groups abuse their power.
Hooliganism
![Zabrze-Chorzów fight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Zabrze-Chorz%C3%B3w_fight.jpg)
While ultras groups can become violent, the majority of matches attended by ultras conclude with no violent incidents. Unlike
hooligan firms, whose main aim is to fight
hooligans
Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a ...
of other clubs, the main focus of ultras is generally to support their own team.
Some hooligans try to be inconspicuous when they travel; usually not wearing team colours, to avoid detection by the police. Within the ultra or hooligan culture however, those dressing to "blend in" would be referred to as
casuals, which is viewed by some as a branch of hooliganism, yet still maintaining its own independence and culture. Ultras tend to be more conspicuous when they travel, proudly displaying their scarves and club colours while arriving ''en masse'', which allows the police to keep a close eye on their movements.
See also
*
Curva
*
Hooligan
Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a ...
*
List of association football rivalries
This list deals with football rivalries around the world. This includes club teams who compete in local derbies as well as matches between club teams further afield. It also lists international rivalries and rivalries between individual players ...
*
List of hooligan firms
Hooligan firms (also known as football firms) are groups that participate in football hooliganism in European countries. For groups in Latin America, see barra brava and torcida organizada.
Belgium
*Club Brugge – East Side
* RSC Anderlech ...
*
Barra brava
''Barra brava'' () is the name of organized supporters' groups of football teams in Latin America, analogous to British hooligans in providing fanatical support to their clubs in stadiums and provoking violence against rival fans as well as ag ...
*
Torcida organizada
Torcidas organizadas () are formal (or informal) associations of football fans in Brazil in the same vein as '' barras bravas'' in the rest of Latin America, ''hooligan firms'' in United Kingdom and ''ultras'' in the rest of Europe, Asia, Austr ...
References
Further reading
* Guerra Nicola (2014). "Il discorso e la lingua speciale del calcio, una definizione inclusiva. I meccanismi di creazione dei neologismi e le dinamiche di contatto e interferenza" Annals of the University of Craiova
*
*
* Prof. Dr. Gunter A. Pilz:
Leibniz University
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover (german: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität), also known as the University of Hannover, is a public research university located in Hanover, Germany. Founded on 2 May 1831 as Higher Vocational ...
Hanover, 18 January 2010.
* 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.
* TAL Global Corporation.d
External links
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{{Fanatism in Association football
Association football culture
Association football supporters