Casablanca Derby: Ultras’sensitive !

Casablanca, April 12. The Mohammed V Stadium, usually hotter than a Nass El Ghiwane concert, snoozes like a Tectra waiting room. The Derby, that mythical clash between WAC and RCA, fizzled out, party hall atmosphere the day after a hangover. Not a tifo, not a torch, not a decibel.

The Winners, Green Boys, and Eagles, these conductors of the stands, folded up. Their statement, a stone that smells of gunpowder, screams the anger of a youth that is muzzled. A look back at the derbies where Casa vibrated like a sound system, a trip to their HQ where supporting is a cause, and an autopsy of a boycott that sounds louder than a thousand smokes.

Go back in time, comrades. The old derbies were madness, a giant rave where Casablanca let loose. October 2019: the Winners, crowned «best ultras in the world» in 2022 by Ultras World, transformed the Curva Nord into a blockbuster with a 3D dragon straight stolen from «Game of Thrones », red smokes drowning the sky like the end of the world.

Opposite, the Green Boys throw Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano and a banner that hits the reds, while the Magana spits «F bladi delmouni», a cry that went viral in 2018, chanted from Algeria to the alleys of Gaza. In 2017, the Eagles drew Orwell’s 1984 to taunt the cops; in 2019, their «Room 101» tifo shook the authorities. In 2023, for the Club World Cup, the Winners released «Free Souls»,a canvas that rocked the Mohammed V. Every match was a happening, a destructive opera where thousands of souls ignited.

The streets blazed from dawn: flag parades, drums vibrating Derb Sultan, the Medina, Hay Mohammadi. The capos turned the crowd into a raised fist. Smokes, mosaics, scarves brandished like banners: the Derby was not a match, it was an uprising. Stadiums are stages where supporters play leading roles.

In Casa, the Ultras were the Banksy of concrete, their tifos ephemeral installations that stunned the globe. Social media exploded, Ultras World knelt. «We came to see this magnificent chaos», says Faycel from Amore e mentalita (Algeria).

Reinforced organization serving passion

The Ultras, born in 2005 with the Green Boys and the Winners, are not just fans. It’s a cause, a fever inherited from Italian stadiums. «Players can mess up, lose, derail, but we stay standing», says a Green Boys leader.

In Casa, they embody the clubs: Winners for Wydad, Green Boys and Eagles for Raja. Strong with their thousands of members, they make the stands an insurrectional theater.

Their mantra? Full support, zero compromise. Not a penny from the clubs, just dues (50 to 250 DH) and sales of scarves, sweatshirts, caps – a business that turns over big, as one of the Winners core admits.

Their lair? Clandestine hangars where tifos are born. «We leave our skin there », growls Reda, 28, mechanic by day, Winner by night. «We work in guerrilla mode: some sew, others cut, the strong carry. A 500-square-meter canvas needs 50 pairs of hands, three sleepless nights, 20,000 to 60,000 DH».

The Green Boys laugh remembering their 2021 A Clockwork Orange: «300 painted banners at Derb Sultan, hidden so rivals wouldn’t burn them», says Youssef, 24, sociology student. The Eagles play strategists with moves like their 1984 tifo. «We knew we were playing big, but the stand loved it» whispers Karim, an incognito graphic designer.

Their strength is organization. Cells by neighborhood, secret meetings, fundraising: each group is autonomous but united by values – brotherhood, resistance, sometimes a hint of faith, like the Winners’ emblem, a nod to Palestinian Fidaïs.

They don’t just squat the stands: they watch trainings, talk to authorities, make bosses bend. In 2012, the Green Boys ousted Hanat from Raja; the Winners tagged “Akram, get out!” to kick the WAC boss. «We protect the club’s soul», they swear, street unionists.

«Our priority is the country’s interest »

This Saturday, the Ultras chose to withdraw. After closed-door talks between the three groups – Winners, Green Boys, and Eagles – they decided together to boycott the Derby. In a meeting with authorities, they explained their position, a thoughtful choice, while staying discreet not to worsen tensions in an already pressured city. «Our priority is the country’s interest, without calculations or ulterior motives», they say in a statement detailing their reasons precisely.

First, the Mohammed V Stadium, a mistreated symbol. Three renovations in eight years with large budgets. «Other cities have seen modern stadiums rise in no time, so why is Casablanca lagging behind? » they ask. The works, slowed by delays, disrupted the season, to the point major competitions were almost played elsewhere.

Next, restrictions. Since September, the Ultras face travel bans without clear explanations, administrative decisions they find incoherent, unequal treatment by region. «We are put forward for CAN 2025, but the rest of the time, we are kept on a leash» ,they bitterly note.

Then there’s Casablanca, relegated to second place. Morocco’s economic and sporting lung feels neglected. «Less visible clubs benefit from brand-new stadiums, while we have nothing except a distant project 50 kilometers away, in Ben Slimane». Local teams, lacking infrastructure, must travel, some venues favoring festive events over WAC or RCA matches.

Snubbed for the 2030 World Cup, Casa will only host secondary matches for CAN 2025. «How to praise a legendary stadium without a single national team match?» Frustration is palpable among residents proud of their football heritage.
And then, justice perceived as harsh. Article 507 hits hard: young people, sometimes barely adults, get long prison sentences. «We work to eliminate problematic behaviors», they assure. But they regret authorities betting on repression rather than deep solutions. «The slip-ups harm our image, but they stem from a lack of spaces to channel youth energy. With no alternatives, they turn to us. Delinquency will always exist, with or without ultras».

Not to mention media criticism. Some, accused of bias, depict them darkly, questioning their patriotism. «We, who represent Morocco in stadiums worldwide without expecting rewards, reject these judgments»,they respond, hurt but firm. «We are not decorations to boost anyone’s image», they conclude.

When the silence of the stands makes more noise

This boycott is not just empty stands. It’s a «jolt to shake consciences», a mirror held up to Casa, Morocco, to a federation that parades while its kids struggle.

Without the Ultras, the Derby was a pitiful 1-1, before half-full stands of gawkers. Their absence recalls 2016, when a fight – two dead, 76 injured – pushed the state to ban them. They answered with graffiti: «The Ultras will live ».

On April 12, 2025, Casa lost its pulse. The Ultras, more than a gang, a cause, showed they are not here to be wallpaper. So be it! And when they return, it won’t be to decorate the stands – it will be to relight them. With their ephemeral murals, their fervent cracked voices, and that song that says it all: «Wydadi Testa Alta / Forza campeón / Dalé Curva Canta / Hermosa canción», but with a beating heart.