Celtic a Scottish football club known for receiving multiple fines over its fans carrying Palestinian flags during matches has won the 2017 FIFA award for best fans in London.
Celtic supporters won the award of best fans for their tribute to the Lisbon Lions in May for the 50th anniversary of the club winning the European Cup following voting from other clubs’ supporters on FIFA’s website.
Celtic beat Borussia Dortmund and FC Copenhagen to this award.
Celtic has been financially penalized nine times in five seasons by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for its supporters’ practices including £8615 over fans’ support of Palestine in a 2016 victory against Israel’s Hapoel Beer Sheva and a fine of around £16000 a few years ago after a Palestine flag was displayed at a Champions League qualifier against KR Reykjavik.
Supporters of Celtic known as the Green Brigade have donated £176000 (US$220000) to two Palestinian charities in the West Bank. The donation was crowdfunded in reaction to the 2016 UEFA fine for carrying and flying Palestinian flags during a match against Israel.
