London Supporters' League: A Community of Football Fans
“London is bustling with people, yet it can often feel quite lonely,” reflects Kieran Duff as he walks through Russell Square, still frustrated over forgetting his football socks for the big match. “I hope someone has a spare pair.”
In the changing rooms, a friendly group of Newcastle-supporting teammates don their black and white jerseys while discussing early-season setbacks against Juventus and Inter Milan. Unfortunately, no one brought extra socks.
“It may sound trivial, but wearing the kit and colors really feels different,” states Tom King, captain of the Newcastle Supporters' Club. “There’s a part of your mind that says, ‘I’m playing for Newcastle here.’ It creates a connection with the club that I haven’t felt with any other team I’ve played for.”
Next door, players in vintage claret and blue begin their warm-ups. It’s a pleasantly mild Sunday afternoon in November as Newcastle prepares to face their Aston Villa counterparts at Coram’s Field in central London, with the last traces of autumn lingering as a groundsman clears leaves from the pitch.
This marks the beginning of a lively afternoon in the London Supporters' League, which also features teams from AC Milan, Fiorentina, Genoa, and Lazio. On any given weekend, fans of Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid, Lyon, Roma, Monza, or Panathinaikos can also be found here, all decked out in their club colors.
“We won the league last year after an eight-year wait, so we added a star to our crest,” beams Ludo Romagnoli, who moved from Modena to Brazil and then to London for university. “I take immense pride in representing our club.”
“It’s more enjoyable to compete against people who truly feel the badge, the colors, and share that passion for their club,” adds Pedro Aguilar from Real Madrid London. “Everyone has a story—understanding why they support their team and what it means to them is fascinating. Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, all united by a love for football, is truly special.”
It Began with a Rome Derby
The story actually began with one man’s desire to watch his football club. Massimiliano Ciccone, a Lazio season-ticket holder, left Rome in 1998. “Two years later, Lazio won the league for the first time in almost 30 years,” he laughs.
Upon moving to London in 2013, Ciccone found it challenging to locate a venue to watch Lazio matches. Once he did, more fans began to join him. “I realized we weren’t alone; many people shared a similar experience, closely following their teams back home, attending matches, and being passionate supporters,” he explains.
As Ciccone’s group, the Lazio London Casuals, connected with supporters from an AS Roma UK club, they proposed organizing a derby match. “I was a bit apprehensive at first; you never know what to expect,” admits Ciccone. “It was intense but didn’t lead to any fights. So we thought, ‘That was a good experiment. Why not do it every year?’”
As word spread, the London Supporters' League was established. Now in its ninth edition, the eight-a-side competition has expanded to 14 teams. While Ciccone is eager to grow the league further, he faces limitations due to pitch availability.
The league intentionally excludes London-based teams to create a space for fans from outside the city to connect and enjoy their football. They vet new clubs to ensure they are genuine supporters and schedule matches to avoid conflicts with their 'real' clubs' games.
They gather statistics such as goalscorers, best goalkeeper, and man of the match for each game and hold end-of-season award ceremonies. “I feel like a mini version of [FIFA president Gianni] Infantino; you need to keep everyone happy!” he laughs.
“It’s a social experiment; I’ve noticed that initially, players were more prone to minor altercations because they were unfamiliar with each other, each representing different teams. Now, as they play together regularly, they’ve formed friendships, which is wonderful! It’s a delightful tournament, and I love it. The spirit is fantastic.”
A Tale of Friendship and Belonging
The true success of the league lies in its ability to foster connections among players who share a common identity and passion, as described by Newcastle captain King. He sought to return to football after the COVID-19 pandemic and discovered the Newcastle United Supporters' Club London, also known as the London Mags.
The broader fan group has been active for 60 years and boasts 500 members. In addition to football, they engage in darts, golf, and pool, though one fan quips that you’re more likely to face Plymouth and Exeter than Real Madrid or PSG in the supporters' pool league.
They organize pub quizzes, Christmas dinners, and various other events. Some fans travel to away games together, attend each other’s weddings, and forge lifelong friendships.
“It helped me reconnect with my roots,” King explains. “In London, it can be quite isolating, especially without a pre-existing group. Finding the lads and building genuine friendships has been wonderful. It’s a great group that looks out for one another, united by our northeastern background and similar outlooks on life.”
This sense of community is perhaps even more pronounced for those who have moved from abroad, as Milan captain Romagnoli notes: “When I moved here and discovered the club, it transformed my life, connecting me with people from around the world who share the same passion.”
Real Madrid also embodies a truly global spirit within their team. “We have players from South Africa, India, Colombia, Ecuador, Romania, one from the UK, and of course, Spain. Our goalkeeper is from Albania,” says Aguilar, who grew up in Venezuela supporting Los Blancos. “It’s incredible how we bond over our love for Real Madrid. We host barbecues and celebrate birthdays together—this is the essence of why we started.”
“It offers people a chance to belong, through football, through Real Madrid, to make friends and cultivate a wonderful community.”
In a closely contested match, Aston Villa edged past Newcastle with a score of 2-1, marking a tight encounter between the only English teams in the league. “We had a strong side out,” says Villa supporter Lloyd Perry, who traveled over an hour across London to watch his teammates.