At a glance
Riazor Blues in 30 seconds
Riazor Blues is the ultra group of Deportivo de La Coruña, founded in 1987 after a defeat against Celta that gave its rival promotion. Its name comes from a press article about Deportivo's «blues», its sadness. AS placed it in 2014 in Riazor's Maratón Inferior stand and described it as far-left; its twinning with Bukaneros of Rayo Vallecano is documented in 2022 and 2023. After the death of one of its members in 2014, a large part of the group suffered stadium bans, and in December 2025 the manager Antonio Hidalgo praised its support from the stands.
- Club
- Deportivo de La Coruña
- City
- A Coruña
- Stadium
- Riazor
- Stand
- Maratón Inferior at Riazor (AS, 2014)
- Founded
- 1987
- Situation
- Support praised by Deportivo's manager (December 2025)
Documented history
Riazor Blues: Deportivo's ultra group since 1987
Riazor Blues was born in 1987 in Riazor's Fondo Marathon and became Deportivo's most consistent animation group, according to AS. Its full name is Riazor Blues Ultra R.C.D. A Coruña. Its history combines trips, fanzines and its own sections with two deaths, in 2003 and 2014, that marked its relationship with the club and the city.
1987: a name born of a defeat
According to the group itself, in an interview published in January 2023, the starting point was a 0–1 defeat against Celta at Riazor that gave its rival promotion. AS also places the foundation in 1987, «in the shadow of the clashes with Celta». The name comes from a press article about Deportivo's «blues», in the sense of a sad or melancholy song, and not from the colour blue. Its full name is Riazor Blues Ultra R.C.D. A Coruña, according to AS.
See this section's source ↗The nineties: political definition and changes of stand
The group acknowledges that in its first season Celtic crosses and red stars coexisted in the stand, until it expelled the core of Nikis Sur; from the 1990/91 season, it says, it gained coherence. In 1995, members of Riazor Blues published a fanzine open to contributions from anti-fascist groups from across Spain. In its early days it occupied the Fondo Marathon; with the remodelling of Riazor it moved to Marathon Superior in 1996/97 and to a side stand in 1997/98.
See this section's source ↗2003: a death without a judicial culprit
In 2003 a Deportivo fan died after an assault following a match against Compostela. The defendant was acquitted in March 2006, and AS recalled in 2014 that the case was closed «without a judicial culprit». According to the same newspaper, that event fragmented the peña. In 2014, AS described it as the fan group most consistent in support and in away travel, made up of smaller peñas and located in Maratón Inferior.
See this section's source ↗2014–2020: the Manzanares brawl and the years without a stand
On 30 November 2014, a member of Riazor Blues's Los Suaves section died after a brawl with members of Frente Atlético next to the Manzanares, in Madrid. According to the group itself, stadium bans followed from 2015 and it lost its stand; a large part of its members spent about five years unable to enter stadiums. In 2023, El Independiente listed it among the fifteen groups that the Anti-Violence Commission considered dangerous.
See this section's source ↗Friendships and rivalries
In 2014 AS cited Bukaneros of Rayo Vallecano as a «twinned» group and Alkor Hooligans of Alcorcón as a close one; in 2023, Riazor Blues spoke of twenty seasons shared with Bukaneros, and La Vanguardia also reported that twinning in 2022. The same AS article listed altercations with Celta groups, Ultra Sur, Herri Norte and Ultra Boys.
See this section's source ↗December 2025: Antonio Hidalgo's recognition
On 15 December 2025 Deportivo published a press conference by its manager, Antonio Hidalgo, ahead of the Cup match against Mallorca. Hidalgo thanked the fans for their backing and singled out Riazor Blues for keeping up the animation until the end of the previous match.
See this section's source ↗Key dates
Timeline of Riazor Blues
1987 · Birth
After a 0–1 defeat against Celta at Riazor that gave its rival promotion, according to the group; AS dates the foundation to 1987.
1990 · Political definition
From the 1990/91 season, after expelling the core of Nikis Sur, the group gains political coherence, according to its own account.
1995 · Fanzine
Members of the group publish a fanzine open to contributions from anti-fascist groups from across Spain.
1996 · Changes of stand
With the remodelling of Riazor it moves to Marathon Superior (1996/97) and to a side stand (1997/98).
2003 · Death of a Deportivo fan
The case was closed without a judicial culprit: the defendant was acquitted in 2006. The event fragmented the peña, according to AS.
2014 · Death of a group member
A member of the Los Suaves section dies after the brawl with Frente Atlético next to the Manzanares.
2015 · Stadium bans
According to the group, bans begin and it loses its stand for about five years.
2025 · Manager's recognition
In December, Antonio Hidalgo singles out Riazor Blues for keeping up the animation.
Ideology and identity · Riazor Blues
AS described Riazor Blues in December 2014 as a peña «with a far-left ideology». The degree dissertation by Baltasar Barceló (Miguel Hernández University, 2023) uses the same classification, and the one by Héctor González Borges (University of La Laguna, 2025) stresses its anti-racist and anti-fascist identity. The group itself explained in 2023 that this definition was consolidated from the 1990/91 season, after a first period in which opposing symbols coexisted in the stand. These are descriptions of the group, not of Deportivo's supporters.
Source of this description ↗Frequently asked questions
Getting to know Riazor Blues
Which team does Riazor Blues support?
Deportivo de La Coruña. In December 2025 the club published its manager Antonio Hidalgo's thanks for Riazor Blues's support from the stands.
When was Riazor Blues founded?
In 1987, according to AS, «in the shadow of the clashes with Celta». The group places its starting point in a 0–1 defeat against Celta at Riazor.
Why are they called Riazor Blues?
After a press article that spoke of Deportivo's «blues», in the sense of a sad song, as the group explained in 2023. It does not come from the colour blue.
What is Riazor Blues's ideology?
Left-wing and anti-fascist. AS described it in 2014 as a peña «with a far-left ideology», and the group explains that this definition was consolidated from the 1990/91 season.
Where do the Riazor Blues stand at Riazor?
AS placed them in the Maratón Inferior stand in 2014. In its early days the group occupied the Fondo Marathon and, during the stadium's remodelling, moved through Marathon Superior (1996/97) and a side stand (1997/98).
Which groups is Riazor Blues twinned with?
With Bukaneros of Rayo Vallecano: AS reported it in 2014 and the group spoke in 2023 of twenty seasons of friendship. AS also cited Alkor Hooligans of Alcorcón as a close group.
Who are Riazor Blues's rivals?
The Celta groups, because of the rivalry in which the group was born. In 2014 AS mentioned incidents with ultras of Celta, Ultra Sur, Herri Norte and Ultra Boys, and in November 2014 one of its members died in a brawl with Frente Atlético.
What happened to Riazor Blues after 2014?
Part of the group received stadium bans from 2015 and lost its stand for about five years, according to the group itself. In December 2025, manager Antonio Hidalgo publicly singled out its animation.
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.
- Así es el mapa de los ultras del fútbol español ↗
RTVE · Europa Press · 1 December 2014
Historical relations with Celtarras, Herri Norte, Ultra Boys and Frente Atlético as described in 2014.
- El absuelto por la muerte de un hincha habla tras la sentencia ↗
Europa Press · 23 March 2006
Acquittal of the defendant in the 2003 death.
- Los Riazor Blues, presentes en el fútbol desde el año 1987 ↗
AS · Luis de la Cruz · 1 December 2014
Foundation, full name, Maratón Inferior, ideology, friendships, altercations and the effects of the 2003 case. Not a judicial ruling.
- Batalla campal entre ultras del Celta y el Rayo en los aledaños de Balaídos ↗
La Vanguardia · 6 February 2022
Twinning between Bukaneros and Riazor Blues.
- Entrevista a Riazor Blues ↗
Detrás de la Portería · interview with the group · 6 January 2023
Origin, name, stands, political evolution, fanzine, bans after 2014 and friendship with Bukaneros. The group's statements.
- La Policía controla a 10.000 ultras en el fútbol ↗
El Independiente · Carlos Frías · 18 February 2023
Inclusion of the group among the fifteen considered dangerous by the Anti-Violence Commission.
- La evolución de la violencia ultra en el fútbol español ↗
Baltasar Barceló Sánchez · Miguel Hernández University (degree dissertation) · 2023
The author's ideological classification and the 2014 victim's membership of the Los Suaves section.
- Grupos ultras y la politización del fútbol en España ↗
Héctor González Borges · University of La Laguna (degree dissertation) · 2025
Academic ideological description (p. 29).
- Antonio Hidalgo: el valor de la Copa y el apoyo de Riazor ↗
RC Deportivo · 15 December 2025
The manager's statements expressly mentioning Riazor Blues's support.
Documentary review: 18 October 2026. English edition: 21 October 2026. Editorial team: Mundo Ultras.
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