The historic core of the Blucerchiati supporters is the Gradinata Sud. In 1983, it became the first stand to be entirely covered by a giant flag. This section hosts the main organised fan groups, the Ultras Tito Cucchiaroni 1969 and the Fedelissimi 1961, who occupy the lower part of the Gradinata Sud along with the Fieri Fossato, Struppa 86, Molesti, Valsecca Group, and Blacklist. From 1998 to 2022, the Ultras Tito and Struppa 86 resided in the Upper Gradinata Sud. In 2022, a new form of support began to develop in the Gradinata Nord, inspired by the Sud. The Cajenna Group, established in 2022, replaced smaller groups attempting to involve supporters in the Nord, bolstered by many Sampdoria fans who couldn’t find space in the Sud and a renewed enthusiasm. At the start of the 2023-2024 Serie B season, the Cajenna Group was joined by two other groups: the Marassi Group and Boys Sampierdarena.
The first Blucerchiati fans started to gather in the early 1960s, with the creation of clubs like the Fedelissimi, founded by the great Beppe Andreotti in November 1961. The Ultras Tito Cucchiaroni were founded in 1969 and are one of the first ultra groups in the world, as well as the first to use the name “Ultras,” an acronym from the Genoa Blucerchiata scene of the 1960s, standing for “United, We’ll Beat All the Rossoblù Until They’re Bloody.” Their name honours the Argentine forward Tito Cucchiaroni, who scored forty goals during his five years at Sampdoria.
The Fieri Fossato, founded in 1999, are the union of two previous groups from the mid-90s, the Fieri Sampdoriani and the Fossato Sampierdarena.
The Gradinata Sud of Sampdoria is apolitical, having twinned with both right-wing supporters like those of Verona and left-wing supporters like those of Ternana. In the Sud, politics have no place.
The Blucerchiati supporters, across all their groups, are not registered and never have been, maintaining the ultra mentality. As a result, the Sud often has to forgo away trips and, due to restrictions against ultras, has not been able to display its banners at home since 2007.
Currently, the Dorian groups in Gradinata Sud are:
Fedelissimi 1961
Ultras Tito Cucchiaroni 1969
Hell’s Angels 1977
Struppa 1986
Valsecca 1991
Fieri Fossato 1999
Molesti 2016
Blacklist
The Dorian groups in Gradinata Nord currently are:
Hell’s Angels 1977
Struppa 1986
Valsecca 1991
Fieri Fossato 1999
Molesti 2016
Blacklist
The Dorian groups in Gradinata Nord currently are:
Cajenna Group 2022
Marassi Group 2023
Boys Sampierdarena 2023
Marassi Group 2023
Boys Sampierdarena 2023
The organised supporters of Sampdoria have had a long-standing friendship with Hellas Verona since 1973, Ternana since 1977, Parma since 1990, St. Pauli since 2002, and Bari since 2006. Additionally, they have international alliances with Porto and Eintracht Braunschweig.
The alliance with Verona began in 1973, before a match at the Bentegodi Stadium during the 28th round of Serie A. After clashing in the first leg on 30 December 1972, the two fanbases reconciled and turned their rivalry into friendship. However, the Gradinata is divided over this alliance: the Ultras Tito are directly allied with Verona’s Hellas Army, successors of the Brigate Gialloblù, while the Fieri Fossato are allied with the Hell, formerly Inferno Gialloblù. Both the Molesti and the Valsecca Group support the alliance with the Curva Sud Verona, but the Fedelissimi, despite their respect, do not recognise it.
The alliance with Parma started in 1990 and is supported by all groups. During the Sampdoria-Parma Serie A match in the 1990-1991 season, the Boys Parma brought a banner to Genoa that read: “A noi l’Europa, a voi la gloria, lo scudetto alla Sampdoria.” In 2012, it became Italy’s first social media-based alliance and is continuously renewed during each encounter. For the Parma-Sampdoria match on 5 May 2019, both teams wore special commemorative shirts combining their colours and patterns. Promoted on social media as #BluCrociati – Not Just Colours, this initiative also had a charitable aim: the match-worn shirts were auctioned, with proceeds going to the Giannina Gaslini Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Parma.
The alliance with Ternana’s ultras began in the 1970s and has been maintained over the years, primarily by the “Fedelissimi” and “Fieri Fossato,” through numerous visits and mutual appreciation. Banners such as Working Class, Freak Brothers, Curva Nord, and Curva Est Ternana have often been seen in the stands, especially during cup matches. In 2000, when both teams were in Serie B, the alliance was renewed.
The official alliance with Bari’s ultras dates back to 2006, when in Cremona, the “Utc” banner was displayed above the “Ultras” Bari away banner. However, friendly relations had existed between the two supporter bases for many years prior. Over time, especially during the 2010s, the alliance strengthened with the involvement of all the Blucerchiati groups in the Sud and the Biancorossi groups in the Nord.
A historic alliance also exists between the “Ultras Tito” and the Commando Ultrà 84 of Olympique de Marseille, the oldest ultra group in France. This alliance was established in 1987 and is recognised by the entire Marseille fanbase except for the “South Winners 87.” Formed in the same year as the alliance, the South Winners not only do not acknowledge the friendship with the Blucerchiati but also have a strong bond with the organised supporters of Genoa. Since 2022, with the South Winners taking control of the “Virage Sud,” their alliance with Genoa’s 5r has strengthened, weakening the relationship between the CU84 and the UTC.
The “Rude Boys” of Sampdoria have a well-known alliance with the ultras of FC St. Pauli, built on shared ideals and a commitment to fighting racism and fascism. Alongside the Rude Boys, there is also a friendship between the Ultras St. Pauli and the “Fedelissimi 1961.”
In Germany, there is an alliance between the Ultras of Eintracht Braunschweig and the Struppa ’86.
Sampdoria fans once had friendly relations with the ultras of Modena. While not a formal alliance, there was mutual respect and admiration, particularly against Genoa. For instance, the Modena-Sampdoria match on 1 May 2012 was accessible to Sampdoria fans without a supporter card. Although this relationship has waned over time, the camaraderie remains. This was evident during the Sampdoria-Modena match in Serie B 2023-2024, where Sampdoria fans in the Gradinata Nord applauded the reading of Modena’s line-up and were reciprocated by Modena fans applauding them as they left the stadium.
There has also been long-standing mutual respect with the supporters of Savona since the 1970s, though it remains mostly a matter of respect due to the differences in league levels. Additionally, there is a friendship between the “Fieri Fossato” and the ultras of Sanremese Calcio.
Significant friendships exist with the supporters of Boca Juniors and Liverpool. The relationship with Boca Juniors dates back to the 1990s when Sampdoria’s President Paolo Mantovani facilitated contact, further strengthened by Boca’s connection to the city of Genoa. The friendship with Liverpool supporters began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, marked by mutual visits between the fan organisations.
Another notable British friendship is with the supporters of West Ham United. More recently, there has been a friendship with the German fans of FC Augsburg, who displayed a banner reading “Hands off Sampdoria” during the Augsburg-Borussia Dortmund match in 2023.
In the past, the Blucerchiati maintained alliances with the fans of Atalanta, Cagliari, Fiorentina, Inter, Livorno, and Spezia. However, the alliances with Inter, Spezia, and Livorno have turned into rivalries.
The alliance with Atalanta began on 29 June 1977, during the play-off match in Genoa for promotion to Serie A, between Atalanta and Cagliari. On this occasion, the Brigate Nerazzurre joined the Ultras Tito in the Gradinata Sud, sealing their friendship. Although this alliance seemed destined to last for many years, it ended in the late 1980s due to internal conflicts within the Curva Nord of Bergamo. However, a strong bond of respect remains between the groups, based on their shared vision of the ultra movement and the resilience of the Italian ultras, with Atalanta and Sampdoria fans leading the way.
The alliance with Cagliari’s supporters dates back to the early 1990s and was with the Sconvolts. It was broken by some younger members of the Sconvolts a few years later due to the strengthening alliance between Sampdoria and Verona, who are strong enemies of the Sardinians. In the 2000-01 season, a banner reading “Ultras and Sconvolts friends 7 days a week” appeared in the away end at Cagliari, accompanied by large flags and parades around the pitch, scenes repeated in the 1992-93 season. The official end of the alliance came during a Coppa Italia match. As a sign of respect for the Sardinian people after the flood that hit their region on 18 November 2013, banners from the Fedelissimi and Fieri Fossato appeared in the Gradinata Sud during the 13th round of Serie A 2013-2014, reading: “Close to Sardinia” and “Close to the Sardinian people.” A friendship remains between the Sconvolts and Ultras Tito.
There was also an alliance with Fiorentina’s supporters, which began in the mid-1970s and ended in 1992.
Additionally, there was an alliance with Spezia’s supporters.
The primary historical rivalry for Sampdoria supporters is with Genoa’s fans, which takes place during the Derby della Lanterna. This derby is considered the eighth most intense in the world (the second in Italy after the Rome derby) by the English portal “FootballDerbies.com.” The first clashes between the two sets of fans date back to the 1960s. Another significant rivalry, though not as intense as with Genoa, is with Torino’s supporters, which is exacerbated by the long-standing alliance between Torino and Genoa.
Sampdoria fans do not have good relations with the supporters of Milan’s two main teams: Inter and Milan. Sampdoria fans were allied with Inter until 1992, after which they became rivals. On 14 March 2012, Sampdoria supporters attended the Meazza Stadium for the UEFA Champions League match between Inter and Marseille, cheering for the French team and against Inter. Relations with Milan fans have always been negative; in 1993, a fierce battle broke out between the ultras of Sampdoria and Milan, resulting in sixty injuries. The relationship remains turbulent.
The rivalry with Napoli is linked to their alliance with Genoa. In 2013, both Napoli and Marseille were in Group F of the UEFA Champions League. The supporters clashed due to their respective alliances with the two Genoa teams. During the match at the Stade Vélodrome, Marseille’s fans displayed a banner reading, “The enemies of our brothers are our enemies. Forza Samp.”
The rivalry with Bologna began after the last match of the 1998-1999 season, when a controversial last-minute penalty allowed Bologna to equalise 1-1, condemning Sampdoria to relegation. On 12 October 1999, during a Coppa Italia match, Sampdoria fans expressed their anger towards Bologna, in an event remembered by Genoese sports fans as the “night of the taps.”
In 2011, Sampdoria fans’ cars were attacked with bottles and stones during their trip to Livorno. After the end of the alliance in 2009 and previously good relations, the relationship with Spezia’s fans soured definitively in 2022. After some chants from Sampdoria supporters, Spezia fans stole and burned Sampdoria scarves during the Spezia-Sampdoria match on 23 January, angering the broader Italian ultra movement. The return derby on 22 April 2023 ended in a 1-1 draw, contributing to Sampdoria’s relegation. However, Spezia were also relegated after losing a play-off against Verona, strengthening the bond between Sampdoria and Verona supporters and their mutual animosity towards Spezia.
Negative relations also exist with the supporters of Juventus, Roma, and Lazio.
There is also a strong rivalry with Pisa’s ultras, likely due to their past alliance with Genoa’s supporters in the 1990s. Although the alliance is no longer official, the good relations between the two sets of fans persist.