How Swedish Soccer Fans Are Changing the Face of Hooliganism

From chants about “offside teeth” to racist jeers, soccer fans aren’t typically known for bringing the healthiest of vibes to the stands. Hooliganism, a catch-all term to define the rambunctious, sometimes violent behavior at men’s soccer games, has been around for centuries. But with special thanks to the rise of political extremism, the turbulence has reportedly escalated in recent years.

But take toxic masculinity out of the equation (not to mention some historic tensions and weird geopolitics), and you might end up with the heartening story of Sweden’s Soft Hooligans. Currently, the fan movement is marching, drumming, and cheering on the UEFA Women’s Euros with boisterous show tunes and positive energy—creating an atmosphere that’s worlds away from past Women’s Euros.

 

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“It was just so incredibly dead,” Estrid Kjellman told France24 of the 2018 Women’s Euros. “We shouted sometimes, we cheered, and people looked at us as if we were completely crazy.” After the experience, Kjellman and her mother, Kajsa Aronsson, started a Facebook group—and Soft Hooliganism soon formed as an antidote to the dead crowds they’d seen in the Netherlands. Now, it’s become a transformative force in improving the vibes.

At the 2025 Euros, Sweden’s team is currently unbeaten, having most recently secured a 4-1 victory against Germany. But the squad will face England’s Lionesses—the reigning UEFA champions—in Thursday’s quarter-finals in Zurich, Switzerland. And the Brits are a team whose fans could learn a thing or two about better decorum. Hooliganism in Britain is a particularly bad phenomenon, once popularly dubbed as the “English disease.” Unfortunately for the Lionesses, that means muscling themselves in anticipation of abusive speech or signing off social media altogether. The squad’s striker, for example, has stayed off Instagram during the games. In an interview with The Independent, she explained the same decision made for a better experience during the last Women’s World Cup.

But the grassroots movement is not only reclaiming hooliganism, it’s uniting–and expanding—women’s soccer fandom. Thanks to the Soft Hooligans, applications for the Women’s Euros are up 70% from 2022 among Swedish fans, the highest yet. And, while it’s not uncommon for alcohol to be banned on the actual stands at men’s games, it’s become increasingly evident that beer is not always a violence-enabling vice–and, in alternate settings, is pretty conducive to making friends. Currently, trials are underway at women’s football stadiums in England to allow alcohol in the stands during matches.

Thursday may bring a tense match; the last time Sweden faced off with England was in 2022, with the latter securing a 4-0 win. But the Soft Hooligans are in the stands this week, so no matter the result, you can expect the Swedes to win–or lose–with grace.

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