Tifo () is the phenomenon whereby

tifosi Tifosi () is a group of supporters of a sports team, especially those that make up a tifo. Etymology It is erroneously claimed that "In Italian, literally means those infected by typhus disease, a reference to someone acting in a fevered man ...

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 Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

match. Tifos are most commonly seen in important matches, local derbies and

rivalries A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...

, and although the tradition originated at club teams, some national teams also have fans that organise tifos on a regular basis. Tifos are primarily arranged by

ultras 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 tende ...

or a supporter club to show their love to the club, but are sometimes sponsored or arranged by the club itself.

History

The tifo culture, like the origin of its name, has its roots in Italy and

Southern Europe Southern Europe is the southern region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countries and regions: Alb ...

, and has a strong presence in

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...

. It has much in common with the

culture and appeared at the same time in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Tifos, while highly prevalent in Europe, have become more widespread and more common in all parts of the world where association football is played. Some tifos are political and controversial, as observed in Poland, where a tifo is known as an ''oprawa'' or ''oprawa meczu'', and other countries.

References

{{Supporter Culture Association football culture Italian words and phrases Sports fandom

History

See also

References