If you’ve ever watched a football match and seen an entire stadium erupt in colour with massive banners, choreographed displays, and passionate fan energy, you’ve witnessed a football tifo. But what exactly is a tifo? Where did this tradition come from, and how do supporters pull off such massive displays?
In this guide, we’ll explain what a tifo is, where it started, how it’s made, and how you can bring one to life for your club or next big match.
Read on to discover what tifos are, ideas, examples and more
Jump to:
- What does Tifo mean?
- What is a Tifo Display?
- Who creates Tifos?
- Tifo popularity in the UK
- How to make a Tifo Display
- Tifo ideas for your club
- 3 Football Tifo Examples
- Get your Tifo printed
What does Tifo mean?
The term tifo comes from the Italian word tifosi, meaning “fans” or “supporters.” A tifo is a coordinated visual display by supporters, usually unveiled before or during a football match to show passionate backing for their team.
You’ll most often see tifos in Europe and South America, where ultra fan groups lead the charge. These choreographed efforts aren’t just for show, they’re powerful, creative expressions of loyalty, pride, and atmosphere.
What is a Tifo Display?
A tifo display is a large-scale fan creation, often covering an entire section of the stadium with crowd surfer banners, flags, or card mosaics. Tifos can range from simple messages on fabric banners to intricate graphics featuring players, club legends, slogans, or cultural references.
Tifos send a message to the players, the opposing team, and the world watching. Some of the best football tifos in history have gone viral because of their creativity, scale, or sheer visual impact.
A Tifo display can be made of crowd surf banners, flags or card mosaics
Who creates Tifos?
Traditionally, the people behind many of these incredible displays are often part of ultras tifo groups. These are dedicated, passionate fans who live and breathe their club. Ultras are known for their non-stop chanting, loyalty, and artistic approach to supporting the team.
You don’t need to be part of an ultras group to create a tifo. Local clubs, school teams, and community groups can all create something special with the right materials and a bit of guidance. Today, more UK clubs are embracing tifos as part of matchday experiences, often led by fan engagement teams or supporters’ trusts.
Tifos are growing in popularity – especially for big matches
Tifos have become an essential part of football culture, especially during high-stakes games like cup ties, derby matches, or playoff fixtures. Here are two recent UK examples:
Aston Villa vs West Ham – FA Cup (2025)
To celebrate their 150th anniversary, Villa fans unveiled a massive tifo at Villa Park. The atmosphere was electric, and the display set the tone for an emotional matchday.
Tifo displays help enhance stadium atmosphere when the stakes are high
Sunderland vs Coventry – Playoff Semi Final Leg 2 (2025)
In their playoff push, Sunderland supporters revealed a dramatic tifo that covered an entire stand. It showcased the pride and passion of the fanbase in a must-win fixture.
Tifo displays and crowd banners can be made to any size, shape or design
How to make a Tifo Display
Want to create a tifo for your next match? Here’s how:
1. Start with a message or theme
It could be a legendary player, a club motto, or even a cheeky dig at your rivals.
2. Measure your space
Know your dimensions. Whether it’s a banner across the front row or a display that fills the entire stand, measurements help you plan your design and printing.
3. Create or source the artwork
Use your own artwork or work with a designer. We offer free artwork services to help you bring your vision to life.
4. Choose the right material
We recommend:
- Knitted Polyester – vibrant, strong, ideal for detailed prints.
- Polyester Airmesh – 54% air permeable, perfect for windier stadiums.
Knitted polyester offers high-impact print while airmesh is better for windy conditions
5. Print, Stitch & Prep
Large tifos are printed in sections and stitched together. We handle that for you.
6. Matchday Setup
Coordinate volunteers or fans to roll it out at the right moment. Rehearsals help for complex displays.
Tifo ideas for your club
Looking for inspiration? Here are some popular tifo concepts:
- Legends Tribute – Honour a club hero or manager
- Mosaics – Use cards to create a unified image
- Anniversary Displays – Celebrate a milestone year
- Rival Banter – A fun, cheeky message (stay respectful!)
- Community Themes – Support local causes or messages of unity
Whether it’s simple or show-stopping, a tifo is about storytelling through visuals.
3 Football Tifo Examples
1. Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund are renowned for their passionate fan base and incredible tifos, particularly in their famous “Yellow Wall”. Dortmund tifos often feature intricate choreography, club legends, or symbolic imagery representing the unity of the city and its team.
Tifo displays are a great way to celebrate an iconic match
2. Legia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa’s supporters, especially the ultra group Żyleta, are well-known across Europe for their bold and politically charged tifos. Legia’s tifos frequently make headlines due to their elaborate themes and the immense coordination involved.
Legia Warszawa are one of the very best at Tifo displays
3. Manchester United
While English clubs have been slower to adopt large-scale football tifos, Manchester United have recently embraced them, particularly in European competitions. This display, shown before a Europa League game at Old Trafford, reflects the growing influence of continental fan traditions in the UK.
Tifo displays are growing in popularity across the UK
Need a Tifo Printed? We Can Help
We help supporter groups, football clubs, and organisers bring their football tifos to life with high-quality, large-format printing. We print your display in sections and seamlessly stitch them together to form one massive tifo banner or display.
Here’s more about us and what we offer:
- Free artwork & design support
- Durable, weather-resistant materials
- Seamless stitching for large banners
- Fast, reliable delivery
Get in touch today to start your tifo journey or request a quote for crowd banners, pitch banners or full stadium displays.
