An unlikely but awesome and quite hilarious crossover has taken the internet and Tik Tok by storm: fans of the Japanese anime and mobile game Umamusume: Pretty Derby have collectively adopted the Denver Broncos as their favorite NFL team, crediting the "horse girls" with bringing good luck to the franchise's surprising resurgence.
The connection and why this works is honestly straightforward yet perfect, as Umamusume features the anthropomorphic horse girls inspired by real racehorses competing in races and performances, while the Broncos' logo and mascot Thunder are a horse as well. With the global release of the Umamusume mobile game in mid 2025 earning it Game Awards recognition, its explosive popularity spilled over into sports fandom. As the Broncos mounted a winning streak late in the 2025 season, Umamusume enthusiasts began flooding TikTok, X, and Reddit with hype edits syncing explosive plays from quarterback Bo Nix and the defense to iconic anime race scenes and victory celebrations.
The trend has gained real world traction too. Fans in full Umamusume cosplay complete with ears, tails, and colorful outfits have appeared at Empower Field, cheering alongside traditional orange clad supporters. Viral videos of these attendees racked up tens of thousands of likes, blending anime energy with NFL tailgates. As 2026 dawned the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Horse (specifically the fire horse) the timing felt fated, with posts declaring the Broncos destined for Super Bowl glory under the horse girls' watchful eyes.
The Broncos fans have largely embraced the influx. Reddit threads in r/DenverBroncos welcome the new supporters, with comments like "More fans? Cool" and calls for the team to acknowledge the phenomenon through social media nods or themed promotions. Some lifelong fans credit the "anime horse girl luck" for turning around years of mediocrity, jokingly attributing wins to characters like Special Week or Gold Ship.
The overwhelming vibe with the fans is positive. This isn't the first collab for anime-like things in professional sports either, with there having been crossovers like Nikke collabing with the San Diego Padres for an MLB collab. However Umamusume's wholesome community, which is already known for charity drives and real-world horse racing meetups, adds a fresh, enthusiastic layer to Broncos Country.
As Denver clinched a high playoff seed heading into postseason play, the meme evolved: "The road to the Super Bowl runs through horse girl power." Whether superstition or coincidence, this anime-sports fusion highlights fandom's joyful, boundary-breaking nature in 2026. Will it be enough for the Broncos to pull through and win it all? That remains to be seen. Let us know what you thought about the article in the comments down below!