Herri Norte Taldea in the stands

Athletic Club · Bilbao

Herri Norte Taldea

Herri Norte Taldea, Athletic Club's ultra group since 1981: origin as Herri Norte Boys, the Fondo Norte at San Mamés, attributed abertzale ideology, the 2018 list, Rome 2024 and its expulsion from the stadium according to the club.

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At a glance

Herri Norte Taldea in 30 seconds

Herri Norte Taldea (HNT) is Athletic Club's oldest ultra group: La Soga and 20minutos place its origin in 1981, under the initial name Herri Norte Boys. In 2018 Vozpópuli located it in the Fondo Norte at San Mamés and Diario Sur reported its inclusion in the Anti-Violence Commission's list of violent groups. According to Athletic, it was expelled from the stadium and the club removes its insignia (Deia, January 2026); the club identified ten people associated with the group after the incidents in Rome in September 2024.

Club
Athletic Club
City
Bilbao
Stadium
San Mamés
Stand
Fondo Norte at San Mamés (described in 2018) · outside the stadium according to Athletic (2026)
Founded
1981
Situation
Expelled from San Mamés according to Athletic, which removes its insignia (January 2026)

Documented history

Herri Norte Taldea: Athletic's historic ultra group since 1981

Herri Norte Taldea is an Athletic Club ultra group whose origin is placed in 1981, with the initial name Herri Norte Boys, according to La Soga. It is one of the most veteran groups on the Spanish ultra scene and its model, inspired by British hooligans, sets it apart from other groups of the same era. It should not be confused with Herri Harmaila, the popular animation stand approved by the club's delegates in 2022, which brings together other collectives and individual members.

1981: from Herri Norte Boys to HNT

La Soga places the origin in 1981 and recalls that for some years they were called Herri Norte Boys, following the Italian ultra model, before adopting the British hooligan model with the initials HNT. 20minutos described in 2014 a group «heavily influenced» by British hooligans, imitating many of their behaviours.

See this section's source ↗

Friendships and enmities

La Soga dates to the early years a friendship with Ultra Boys, of Sporting, which later became one of the bitterest enmities in Spanish football. The most stable bond is the twinning with Celtarras, reported by RTVE and 20minutos in 2014 and by Vozpópuli in 2018. According to RTVE (2014), that alliance sets them against Riazor Blues and Biris Norte; 20minutos cited Ultras Sur, Boixos Nois and Peña Mujika as enemies, and Bukaneros as an ally too. Vozpópuli (2018) added that it did not have good relations with the rest of the Basque and Navarrese groups.

See this section's source ↗

2018: the Fondo Norte and the clash with Sortu

In February 2018, Vozpópuli located its slogans in the Fondo Norte of the red-and-white stadium and recalled a banner displayed the previous season: «Sortu, estás en fuera de juego!» (“Sortu, you're offside!”). The newspaper placed it in the abertzale sector critical of Sortu's strategy.

See this section's source ↗

2018: on the Anti-Violence Commission's list

Diario Sur reported in September 2018 that Herri Norte had joined, in the latest assessment, the list of ultra groups considered dangerous by the Anti-Violence Commission. The information comes from the press; the original report has not been found.

See this section's source ↗

Herri Harmaila, a different project

The popular animation stand was approved by the delegates on 7 April 2022 and is located in the Tribuna Norte Baja of San Mamés, with 4,074 standing places. According to the club in January 2025, it brings together collectives such as Piratak, Euskal Lions and ICHH and the Gazte Abonoa; Herri Norte is not among them.

See this section's source ↗

Rome, September 2024

At Athletic's match at the Olimpico in Rome on 26 September 2024, a large banner of the group presided over the away area, according to Deia. The club identified 15 participants in the violent acts: ten associated with Herri Norte Taldea and five from Ultramarine, of Girondins de Bordeaux, and announced an indefinite ban on buying tickets. UEFA fined Athletic 30,000 euros, according to Onda Vasca.

See this section's source ↗

2025–2026: outside San Mamés and against the board

In January 2025, Athletic explained that it had withdrawn the membership of one person, among other reasons for promoting and supporting Herri Norte Taldea, a sanction upheld by a court ruling. In February, the Ertzaintza identified thirty members in the Basurto area before Athletic–Valladolid, and the group issued a statement against the board and against a stand «controlled by the Ertzaintza and the club», according to Deia. In January 2026, the club stated that Herri Norte was expelled from San Mamés when the regulation on access for ultras was approved, that it removes its insignia and that the current animation stand «has nothing to do» with the group. This is the club's version; the date of the expulsion has not been found.

See this section's source ↗

Key dates

Timeline of Herri Norte Taldea

  1. 1981 · Origin as Herri Norte Boys

    According to La Soga and 20minutos, with an Italian ultra model that later became the British hooligan one (HNT).

  2. 2018 · Anti-Violence Commission list

    Diario Sur reports its inclusion in September; in February, Vozpópuli places it in the Fondo Norte.

  3. 2022 · Herri Harmaila

    In April the delegates approve the popular animation stand, a project distinct from the group.

  4. 2024 · Rome

    On 26 September, banner and flares at the Olimpico; the club identifies ten people associated with the group.

  5. 2026 · Outside San Mamés

    In January Athletic states that the group was expelled from the stadium and removes its insignia.

Ideology and identity · Herri Norte Taldea

The available descriptions place it on the Basque pro-independence left. RTVE (Europa Press, 1 December 2014) described it as abertzale, and 20minutos, the same day, as «far-left pro-independence supporters». In February 2018, Vozpópuli attributed to it a «marked pro-ETA ideology» and placed it in the abertzale sector at odds with Sortu. In its statement of February 2025, quoted by Deia, the group rejected a stand without «criticism, social or political demands». These are attributions by media outlets, with their dates, and do not describe Athletic's supporters as a whole.

Source of this description ↗

Frequently asked questions

Getting to know Herri Norte Taldea

When did Herri Norte Taldea emerge?

In 1981, according to La Soga and 20minutos, under the initial name Herri Norte Boys.

What are Athletic's ultras called?

Herri Norte Taldea (HNT) is Athletic's historic ultra group. According to the club, it is not part of the current animation stand, Herri Harmaila.

What is Herri Norte Taldea's ideology?

RTVE described it in 2014 as abertzale, 20minutos as «far-left pro-independence supporters» and Vozpópuli attributed to it in 2018 a «marked pro-ETA ideology». These are attributions by media outlets, not a self-definition.

Where did the Herri Norte stand at San Mamés?

In the Fondo Norte, according to Vozpópuli in 2018. In January 2026, Athletic stated that the group was expelled from the stadium and that it removes any of its insignia.

Is Herri Norte the whole of San Mamés's popular stand?

No. Herri Harmaila is a stand shared by collectives and individual members, approved in 2022. Athletic's statement of January 2025 mentions Herri Norte Taldea separately.

Who is Herri Norte Taldea twinned with?

With Celtarras, of Celta, according to RTVE and 20minutos (2014) and Vozpópuli (2018). 20minutos also cited Bukaneros as an ally in 2014.

Who are Herri Norte Taldea's rivals?

The sources from 2014 and 2015 cite Ultras Sur, Boixos Nois, Riazor Blues, Biris Norte and Ultra Boys, with whom the initial friendship turned into enmity.

What happened with Herri Norte in Rome?

On 26 September 2024 there was a banner of the group and flares were thrown at the Olimpico. The club identified ten people associated with HNT and UEFA fined Athletic 30,000 euros.

Is Herri Norte Taldea still active?

Outside the stadium, according to the press: the Ertzaintza identified thirty members in February 2025 and the group published a statement against the board. Athletic states in 2026 that it was expelled from San Mamés.

Sources

The documents behind this history

Each source keeps its date and scope. Titles appear in their original language. An insider account, an announcement and an official decision document different facts.

Documentary review: 18 October 2026. English edition: 21 October 2026. Editorial team: Mundo Ultras.

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