Football clubs with the most violent fans in world football – ranked

Football often brings people of all backgrounds together, but throughout history, the hostile and violent thuggery of some teams has made it dangerous for regular fans to go and watch their team.

Dynamo Dresden fans have a long list of rivalries with German clubs, especially with RB Leipzig in the city neighbouring Dresden. Dynamo fans were upset at Leipzig's rapid rise through the German leagues, and the fans made it clear in a cup game between the two in 2016. They threw the severed head of a cow on the pitch.

The split up of Yugoslavia is the root cause of the violent behavior of Red Star Belgrade fans. The most storied clash was in 1990 when they clashed with the 'Bad Blue Boys.' In 2021, they clashed with Partizan Belgrade fans after winning the league, causing over 100 people to be arrested after tables and chairs were thrown.

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Since the early 1990s, a small section of the Sparta Prague fans has been plagued by far-right ideologies, attacking Slavia Prague fans for their alleged Jewish links. Violent clashes between the fans remain common outside the game, and it infamously happened in the stadium in 2013.

The Millwall Bushwackers are the most infamous firm associated with hooliganism in the UK, sparking dozens of violent riots over the past 50 years. Their main rival is West Ham United, which has had hundreds of arrests when the clubs met. In 2009, a cup game between the teams resulted in 20 people injured and someone stabbed.

The Newell's Old Boys fans are some of the world's most passionate and violent. In 2022, before their game against Rosario, a fan threw a grenade on the pitch, with riot police deployed to protect the players. Their games against Rosario have a history of violence and injuries to supporters.

Ferencvaros are far from their golden era in the 1950s, with their fame now coming from their violent thugs in the stands. They had a battle with Millwall and were forced to play a game behind closed doors in Malta due to fan violence. At the end of the 02/03 season, games had to be played behind closed doors, with supporters trying to attack their team. The club has been repeatedly fined for racist chants towards players.

Rangers and Celtic fans have a long-standing history of violence for their religious beliefs. Celtic fans are associated with Catholic Irish nationalism, and Rangers fans are protestant British unionists, with violence stemming from the troubles in Northern Ireland. The rivalry has led to some of the worst riots in history, and now, each team bans each other's away supporters from their stadium.

Boca Juniors and River Plate fans have a long-standing rivalry in Buenos Aires. The rivalry played host to the worst tragedy in Argentinian football, with 71 fans being killed and crushed in the stadium, with no one fully knowing what triggered the aggravation. The two firms 'LA12' and 'Los Borrachos' still have hatred for each other, with ties to murder and criminal activity as prevalent as ever.

Turkish football has a serious problem with fan trouble, and the most violent fan base, making their name for a series of attacks in Europe and domestically, is Galatasaray. In the 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final, two Leeds United were fatally stabbed by Galatasaray fans, resulting in a massive brawl at the UEFA Cup final between English firms and the Turkish club's fans. Their rivalry with Fenerbahçe is one of Europe's most intense and violent.

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Russia has developed a reputation for hooligans being highly trained in mixed martial arts and holding racist views. Zenit St Petersburg is the team with the most disgusting rhetoric, calling for all-white teams and for the club to get rid of foreign players, per Euro Football Daily. The Zenit thugs have a long history of violence and calling for non-white players to be removed from the team.

Lazio has a long-standing affiliation with fascist views, with their ultras paying tribute to disgraced former leader Benito Mussolini in 2019. The club has a long history of extreme violence, especially in the derby match against AS Roma. In January 2025, Lazio Ultras injured nine Real Sociedad fans in Rome after finding the Spanish fans in a bar.

According to the Sun, Krakow has been dubbed the 'City of Knives' due to the club's 30-year-long history of violence, with supporters being killed, stabbed, and mutilated outside games. The firm has highly trained UFC fighters and has deep roots in organised crime.

Chacarita Juniors are a lower-league team in Argentina with a history of terrible violence. In 2014, after Chacarita played Tiro Federal, Tiro player Franco Nieto was walking to his car with his wife and child when Chacarita hooligans beat him to death. A fan was stabbed to death in 2024 at a Chacarita game after an argument broke out in the stadium.

The 'Bad Blue Boys' have a history of terrible violence in football, with numerous incidents making international news. In 2023, 120 members were responsible for the death of a supporter at a game against AEK Athens and the injuries of eight others. They were also involved in a riot with Red Star Belgrade fans after the split up of Yugoslavia, resulting in fans being shot and stabbed in some cases.

Al Masry is one of the biggest clubs in Egypt. The club's firm, 'The Ultra Green Eagles,' was part of one of the worst stadium disasters ever when they faced rivals Al Ahly. The Al Masry fans came from all over the city to attack Al Ahly fans with knives, swords, and bottles, resulting in the death of 74 people in 2012. 11 fans were sentenced to death, and the league was stopped for two seasons.

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