Barra brava

Barra brava (lit. 'fierce group') is the name of organized supporters' groups of football teams in Hispanic America that provides fanatical support to their clubs in stadiums and provoke violence against rival fans as well as against the police.

Actions such as welcome the team when it goes out to the pitch (by the use of pyrotechnics, throwing confetti and balloons, and displaying giant flags); waving and displaying of flags, banners and umbrellas; and the coordination of chants during the whole match, are characteristic of their fervent behavior, whose purpose is to encourage their team while intimidating referees and rival fans and players, for which they also provoke violence.

They also look to attack rival fans or defend their team' spectators from rival attacks (especially in away matches, where normally they are outnumbered by home fans) and police repression.

These groups originated in Argentina in the 1950s and spread throughout the rest of Latin America. They are similar to hooligan firms (from United Kingdom), torcidas organizadas (from Brazil), and ultras (originally from Italy but spread to the most part of Europe and Asia, Australia, and North Africa).