Football Fans in Rome
In Rome, the Football fan’s heart beats a little faster…
Rome is a great city for Football fans, whether you want to watch AS Roma or S.S. Lazio at home in Stadio Olympico, or Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich on TV. It’s all possible, you just have to know how.
To make your stadium visit or the search for a place to watch your favorite club live, here is a little tour of the city’s Football spots.
Live Games at the Stadium
First: Where can I buy my ticket?
Keep in mind: To buy a ticket, you must present a government issued form of identification. After purchase, the ticket will have your name printed on it, which means that only you can enter the Stadium with that ticket. It’s best to buy your ticket at the official stores of each club. There are several locations of each, but the most central are the AS Roma store in Piazza Colonna and the S.S. Lazio store on Via G. Amendola.
In which section should I get my ticket?
AS Roma
When Roma is playing, everything revolves around the Curva Sud. This is the only section where it is practically impossible to get a ticket , as most of the seats are taken by season ticket holders. I recommend that you ask for a seat in the Curva Nord. This is also an important fan section, but a bit quieter and more tourist friendly than the Curva Sud. The only thing you should be aware of in this area is that the visiting fans section is just to the right of the Curva Nord. If it comes to blows between the home and away supporters, you’re going to be right in the middle. For the most part this shouldn’t worry you though, and it gives you a unique view from a fan section with a lively atmosphere.
S.S. Lazio
When Lazio is playing at home, everything is exactly the opposite. The serious supporters sit in the Curva Nord, where it is almost impossible to get a ticket, and the Curva Sud, which you’ll probably find a bit more pleasant, is right next to the visitor’s section.
Step Two: How do I get to the Stadium?
From Termini:
Take Metro A toward Battistini and get off at Ottaviano. From here, take Bus 32 (direction: Tor di Quinto) or Bus 271 (direction: A. Dis. Giuliano) until the stop Bosello. Hint: if you can’t figure out when to get off the bus, just do what the other fans on the bus do. They will definitely know where to go.
From Piazza Venezia:
Take bus 271 (direction: A. Dis. Giuliano) and get of at the stop Boselli. As before, if you are unsure of when to get off, there will definitely be other fans on the bus who’s example you can follow.
Third Step: How do I behave?
Supporting the Team
Most importantly, it is a good idea to know how strong a rivalry exists between the two teams. Italy still has incidents of hooliganism and occasional fan violence, so use caution if you choose to wear team memorabilia, regardless if it’s of the home or away side.
Photos
It’s always alright to take photos. When you do, try to only take pictures of the supporters from behind them. It’s rare, but some hapless tourists have had their cameras broken by other supporters just for taking a photo at an inopportune (aka potentially incriminating) moment, like when torches are lit. To avoid trouble, just focus on the match and take pictures of Totti and co.
Be a Fan, not a Tourist
Whether a supporter of AS Roma or S.S. Lazio, everyone at the games is passionate and emotional. For the fans, their teams game is the highlight of the week, and the anticipation has been building in advance. So it’s important that you as a “Football-Tourists” don’t act too much like tourists, and try to blend in with the crowd. Maybe learn the fan song that is always played right before the match starts (for Roma, Roma Roma Roma, for Lazio, Vola Lazio Vola) so you can sign along. It makes a good impression, and you’ll have more fun, too!
Live Matches at a Pub
Where can I watch the important matches of my club?
You can find the most important games of the 4 biggest European leagues (England, Italy, Spain, Germany) as well as Champions League and Europa Cup matches is a number of pubs around the city. Especially if you are a fan of England’s Big Four, you have nothing to worry about. Sometimes I’ve felt like I’m in England when I sit in these pubs- the bar staff usually speak fluent English, which I wasn’t expecting in Rome. For me, it’s always a bit like being in another world, which also has its moments.
Pubs
I’ve been to a few pubs around the city to watch games, but only two really stand out. One is the Abbey Theatre and the other the Scholar’s Lounge. Both are Irish pubs with a great atmosphere.
Abbey Theatre
www.abbey-rome.com
The Abbey Theatre is centrally located, only about three minutes walk from Piazza Navona on Via Governo Vecchio. It’s divided into five rooms, with three or four TV screens in each. When you get there you just need to figure out what game is being show where and find yourself a spot in that room. It’s a bit more difficult if you go with a big group and everyone wants to watch a different game, you’ll often have to split up for 90 minutes.
Scholar’s Lounge
www.scholarsloungerome.com
Like the Abbey, the Scholar’s Lounge is also very well located. You can find it at Via del Plebiscito 101, about five minutes from Piazza Venezia. It seems perfect at first glance, since it is just one big room with three huge screens and about five or six normal sized tvs, and you can almost always find a table where everyone can sit together and still see the game they want. But it can get a bit chaotic. I was there for the second Champions League match day, and with everyone paying attention and cheering for different games, it can be a bit hard to concentrate on one.
There are pros and cons to both pubs, and personally the Abbey is my favorite.
Have fun with football in Rome, and I hope I made your experience a little bit easier!
