About the FSI

The Football Supporters International (FSI) network first developed out of the collaboration of several, very different fan-related organisations in providing “fans’ embassy” advice, information and support services for football supporters at major international tournaments. The core organisations in the network, with a history of work together at European Championships and World Cups are: the German fan projects coordinated by KOS (Koordinationsstelle Fan-Projekte with the DSJ), F.A.N. / EURO SUPPORT who work with the Dutch fan projects and the national fans’ organisation SOVS, Progetto Ultra from Italy, Fanarbeit Schweiz (FaCH) from Switzerland, and from England and Wales the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF).

At more recent tournaments, such as Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the FSI has also enjoyed the participation of fans’ embassy teams from a number of other countries, including Spain, France and the Czech Republic.

These organisations have been very different in their composition and constitution, ranging from professional fan project workers in Germany to the membership-based representative fan organisation, the FSF, in England and Wales.  Interestingly, for all the contrasts in background, all these national organisations developed very similar methods of work at international tournaments in terms of the provision of information and assistance to their respective supporter groups.

It was a natural progression from our work at tournaments (and in the case of the FSF, at all individual qualifying and friendly matches of the England and Wales teams) and from the work we had been doing in our countries of origin that we took up the interests of football supporters in domestic and club football too, building on the same principles of:

Based on almost twenty years’ accumulated experience in these spheres, the FSI network has amassed great experience in the positive treatment of football supporters, and continues to operate in providing services of this nature on the international plane.

It has become increasingly clear to us however, particularly in the context of the modern game, that there is a burning need for supporters internationally to have a powerful, influential and independent representative voice within the structures of the game. As a consequence, in 2006 the FSI network took the decision to begin the process of helping to build a new, democratic and representative European supporters network.

This idea has received the enthusiastic support not only of fans groups’ representing tens of thousands of football supporters across Europe, but also from the highest administrative body in European football, UEFA itself. UEFA has given its backing – both moral and financial – to the FSI’s initiative in organising the First European Football Fans’ Congress, which was held in London on July 6th 2008.

Where the organisation goes from here, is up to you!

We think a fans’ network needs to speak up loudly and clearly on issues such as commercialisation, ticket prices, fan culture, discrimination, stadium bans, policing and stewarding etc. It needs to develop a media profile to answer the preconceptions and prejudices about football fans, and we need to play our full part in the future of the game. It’s the congress though that will discuss these issues and debate priorities – it’s your collective decision, so make sure you take part!

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