Napoli is the fourth most supported football club in Italy with around 8% of Italian football fans supporting the club. Like other top clubs in the country, Napoli’s fanbase goes beyond the Italian border; it has been estimated by the club that there are around 5 to 6 million fans worldwide.
Napoli have several rivalries, the most significant of which is with Roma. In terms of location Napoli and Roma are quite close, together they compete in the Derby del Sole (“Derby of the Sun”), a rivalry which was at its peak in the 1980s. There are also strong rivalries with Lazio and Hellas Verona, as well as local Campanian ones with Salernitana and Avellino.
Conversely, the fans of Napoli have a long standing friendship with Genoa, which goes back to 1982, and with Palermo and Catania. On the last day of the 2006–07 season, the club drew 0–0 with Genoa ensuring both were promoted back into Serie A; Genoa ultras could be seen holding up banners saying “Benvenuto fratello napoletano“, meaning “Welcome, Neapolitan brother”.
