sports
Tampa Bay Chapter Unveils 'Sailing to Victory in 2026' Tifo at USMNT Match
The American Outlaws Tampa Bay chapter displayed a 20-by-35-foot tifo during a November 2025 match at Raymond James Stadium. Planning for the display began in early October among chapter and national representatives.
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On a Tuesday night in November 2025, the American Outlaws Tampa Bay chapter raised a 20-by-35-foot tifo in section 148 at Raymond James Stadium during the U.S. men's national team's match against Uruguay. The banner carried the message "Sailing to Victory in 2026" in bold black letters.
The display occurred 206 days before the United States opens the 2026 World Cup against Paraguay on June 12. Juan Ruiz, vice president of the Tampa Bay chapter, said the project required extensive preparation. "It's been a number of man-hours," Ruiz said.
The chapter has about 200 members. The national American Outlaws organization counts nearly 30,000 members worldwide. Planning started during a conference call in early October 2025 that included Tampa chapter members and national representatives.
Andy Gustafson, the chapter president, proposed creating a tifo for the November match, and the idea received support. Tifos originated in Western Europe in the 1960s as large coordinated displays of flags, banners and signs. The term derives from the Italian word "tifosi," meaning fans.
Some displays use rigging systems with attachment points and ropes for controlled reveals. Jeffery Kassing, co-author of the book "The Art of Tifo," described them as fan-produced efforts that serve as a symbolic platform for group identity. "It really becomes like a love letter to the club or to the team," Kassing said.
