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Tifo consisting of a large blanket and fireworks at FC Twente - SC Heerenveen in 2002. A basic card display mosaic tifo at Montreal's old Claude Robillard Centre ground. Simple tifo on an IFK Göteborg match, including paper rolls, flags of different sizes, two-pin flags and plastic banners. Tifo consisting of paper sheets and a big tarpaulin in the middle before a Champions League game FC Bruges-Rapid Wien An international soccer game involving Peru and Brazil at the Estadio Monumental "U". Peruvians are holding a jersey-shaped tifo before the start of the game.

Tifo, originally the Italian word for the phenomenon of supporting a sport team, is mostly used as a name for any spectacular choreography displayed by supporters on the terraces of an arena or stadium in connection with a sport event, mostly an association football match.

Tifos are most commonly seen in important matches, local derbies and rivalries and although the tradition originated at club teams, some national teams also have fans that organize tifos on a regular basis.^[1] Tifos are primarily arranged by Ultras or a supporter club to show their love to the club, but are sometimes sponsored or arranged by the club itself.

[edit] History

The tifo culture, like the origin of its name, has its roots in Italy and Southern Europe, and has a strong presence in Eastern Europe. It has much in common with the Ultras culture and appeared at the same time, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the first ultras group of Italy was founded, the Fossa dei Leoni (Milan). It has spread since and has taken over as the dominating football culture in Europe.

Tifos can now be seen in most parts of Europe. Still, the Italian tifos are dominating^{[citation needed]}, with supporter groupings having a better economy and larger fanbase. Not surprisingly, North America and Japan have also witnessed the Tifo culture rise.

[edit] Materials

Materials used to create tifos include:

• sheets of plastic or paper forming a pattern, like a sort of mosaic
• large flags and banners
• huge painted blankets (usually in the shape of a team jersey or flag)
• two-pin flags
• confetti
• balloons
• paper rolls
• flares (bengal fires) and other fireworks
• large dolls and mascots
• scarves

The tifo is often displayed for only a few minutes, often when the teams enter the pitch or at the start of the match. Planning a tifo can range large ones from taking several weeks, and several days before the match to prepare, costing large sums of money, to smaller tifos where the supporters hold up their scarves at a certain time and throwing confetti in the air, taking only a few minutes to prepare.

[edit] See also

• Tifosi
• Curva
• Football culture
• Football chants
• Card stunts

[edit] References