In recent years, association football teams have shown their respect to teams in their own division which have already won their league title at the end of the season with games to spare by forming a guard of honour onto or off the pitch for their players. The applauding team forms two lines to make a corridor and the league winners pass through the corridor, generally in single file. The guard of honour is in some instances considered good form to perform but is not considered compulsory and teams may opt not to provide one, as especially tends to happen between teams considered particularly bitter rivals.
when is guard of honor given in football
to teams in their own division which have already won their league title at the end of the season with games to spare