Chanting against the state: The political voice of football Ultras in the Maghreb region

Football in the Maghreb has long been intertwined with politics, but the emergence of Ultras groups in the mid-1990s transformed stadiums into arenas of political expression. In Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, Ultras have mobilized youth dissent through chants, banners, and stadium performances, particularly during periods of regime crisis. While football clubs historically symbolized anticolonial struggle, contemporary Ultras movements increasingly voice the frustrations of marginalized youth excluded from formal politics. Utilizing a Remote Qualitative Design to address access constraints, this cross-national comparative synthesis analyzes primary digital repertoires, including viral anthems and social media archives, triangulated with media reports and academic literature. Using a Social Semiotic lens, the findings demonstrate that Ultras create alternative spaces of participation, turning stadiums into platforms for collective mobilization and shaping public discourse under restrictive regimes.