The best tifos from the 2025/26 Champions League When fans turn into artists

The UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase has come to an end, delivering its final verdicts. Eight matchdays packed with on-pitch excellence, amplified by the breathtaking spectacle crafted by supporters in the stands. At the heart of this visual drama lie the tifos — true works of art brought to life across stadium sectors. These choreographies demand weeks of planning and precision, orchestrated down to the smallest detail to achieve perfection. The final result is often stunning, capturing the passion and creative flair of fans through compositional techniques worthy of fine art. Everything crystallizes in those fleeting minutes when the displays unfold across the terraces, stealing the spotlight.

Marseille and the magic of the Vélodrome

At the very top of the ranking stand the choreographies orchestrated by the Virage Sud and Nord at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. Four home fixtures, four distinct spectacles — each more visually striking than the last. For the opening match against Ajax, the club’s first Champions League home game with fans since 2013, the south stand mesmerized audiences with a cardboard mosaic forming a historic club crest used between 1935 and 1972, alongside the city flag. Center stage featured a massive banner depicting an OM player sliding into a tackle against an Ajax footballer — the defender in white being Jules Zvunka, former Marseille captain, halting none other than Johan Cruijff in a real 1972 quarter-final moment immortalized in photography. Completing the scene, a bold banner reading FCK AJAX. Meanwhile, the north stand spelled out OM in monumental lettering.

Against Atalanta, the south-stand format remained but the narrative shifted. Bob Marley appeared center-stage wearing an OM jacket, backed by a blue-and-azure pattern morphing into the Jamaican flag. Below, three banners echoed lyrics from Get Up, Stand Up. Then came the match versus Newcastle: one side showcased a blue-and-white sun backdrop framing a banner depicting laundry lines hung with OM shirts and scarves between buildings; on the opposite end, a striped full-stand display preceded fans themselves forming the club’s founding year, 1899, using colored ponchos. The finale unfolded against Liverpool, recreating an iconic Beatles photo — here reimagined with the band reading the Marseille newspaper Le Provençal, its front page celebrating OM’s 2004 victory over the Reds, paired with customized lyrics from “Michelle.”

The contemporary aesthetic of Slavia Prague

Those familiar with Europe’s ultras scene know the rising influence of Slavia Prague’s Tribuna Sever. Every occasion becomes a canvas for creative expression — especially on Champions League nights. For their League Phase opener against Bodø/Glimt, the choreography spanned three sections. A wall of red-and-white inflatable sticks framed three massive banners rendered in a signature three-dimensional style: a child holding a drape, a bold yellow Slavia script, and two elderly supporters raising beers.

Against Arsenal, a cardboard mosaic formed the number 133, commemorating the club’s foundation in 1892, alongside a red-and-white shield crowned with the iconic star. Versus Athletic Club, paper tiles shaped a medieval-inspired Slavia wordmark on a crimson backdrop, finished with a banner reading Our Way of Life. For Slavia Prague-Barcelona, flags embedded the ultras’ initials within a laurel wreath in red and white, culminating in a dramatic pyrotechnic sequence. What sets the Czech supporters apart is the immaculate precision and graphic clarity of their creations.

Olympiakos and the grandeur of Gate 7

The Gate 7 supporters of Olympiakos are widely regarded as among the most fervent in Greece, famed for their ambitious choreographies. Across four home fixtures, they delivered four statement-making displays. The legend is back where he belongs set the tone in the opener versus Pafos, honoring the club’s European heritage. Against PSV, a cardboard composition revealed a majestic red-and-white lion, paired with the slogan Unleash the beast.

The aesthetic peak came in Olympiakos-Real Madrid, where a stadium-wide choreography transformed Karaiskakīs into a living artwork: the north stand outlined the laurel-crowned youth inspired by the club’s Olympic emblem; the main stand spelled out The king of Europe is here!; the south unveiled a red-and-white flag trimmed in gold; while the central stand featured horizontal red-and-white stripes. Gate 7 concluded against Bayer Leverkusen with a display portraying a train and airplane, alongside the phrase Always by your side, symbolizing unwavering loyalty beyond borders.

Examples from England and Spain

Across Europe, countless stadiums lit up Champions League nights with distinctive creative identities. In England, the Tottenham Stadium made headlines at its seasonal debut with a south-stand mosaic portraying the club’s iconic cockerel on a yellow-and-blue backdrop. Further north at St James’ Park in Newcastle, the Toon Army unveiled a three-sector display against Barcelona: NUFC lettering across the north and south, while black-and-white flags framed a banner inspired by AC/DC’s Back in Black, featuring a magpie styled as Angus Young. Against Athletic Club, a colossal black-and-white banner reading We are Newcastle took center stage.

In Spain’s legendary Bernabéu, the match versus Juventus featured an emotional tribute to a beloved figure: a choreography depicting Lucas Vázquez as a child holding a Real Madrid scarf. Meanwhile, San Mamés — Athletic Club’s historic cathedral — returned to the Champions League spotlight. Against PSG, cardboard tiles formed the phrase Goazen Athletic, while the grada norte displayed a banner featuring a lion and Basque symbolism.

Italy, Germany, and the Rest of Europe

Among Italian supporters, Atalanta stood out, igniting Bergamo’s stadium against Slavia Prague. The Curva Pisani was covered with blue-and-black flame appearing beneath the words Light My Fire, referencing The Doors — enhanced by intermittent white flares. Atalanta also shares a longstanding bond with Eintracht Frankfurt, whose German fans honored the 1999 twinning with a dual-ring choreography during their clash. Frankfurt had already impressed earlier against Liverpool, unveiling a breathtaking scarf display and an immense black-and-white striped full-stand banner.

In Amsterdam, Ajax’s F-Side celebrated the city’s 750th anniversary with a monumental banner. In Turkey, Galatasaray’s UltrAslan delivered a bold political message, unveiling a massive Palestinian flag accompanied by the slogan "Stop the genocide!". Copenhagen’s Sektion 12 brought Argentine-style intensity against Napoli, waving countless white-and-blue flags amid smoke flares. Meanwhile in Azerbaijan, Qarabağ supporters displayed the message Our faith is greater than your budget, proving it with their on-field results.

The spectacle of the Qualifying Rounds

Some clubs experienced the Champions League already during the qualifying rounds, offering atmospheres just as visually compelling. For Rangers-Panathinaikos at Ibrox, home fans unveiled a banner portraying a figure resembling Athena holding a British shield, flanked by a lion within a Greek acropolis. In Lech Poznań-Red Star Belgrade, the home sector displayed a three-tier banner featuring a dreaming child and the Champions League logo, paired with the phrase Reach for the stars.

Red Star’s supporters, advancing to the next round, once again stunned audiences at Belgrade’s Marakana with an almost impossible cardboard composition portraying a man playing guitar, surrounded by musical notes. Swiss masters of choreography, Basel, also delivered innovation: their display against Copenhagen at St. Jakob Park featured the club crest seemingly bursting out of the stands, framed by pyrotechnic elements.