1st European Football Fans' Congress

 The 1st European Football Fans' Congress 2008 is over now and we'd like to thank all participants for their commitment as football fans, all the lively debates and the impressive results that were elaborated during the workshops. This is just the beginning of this new fans' movement!

As soon as possible, we'll present a report on the congress and we'll keep you informed about our next steps on this page!

Fans need a strong voice

Supporters speak up in “modern football"

What comes to mind when you think of “modern football”?

The millionaires, TV companies and sponsors that rule the game? The gulf between star players and their supporters?, Extortionate ticket prices? Repressive policing and stadium bans? Racism and all the other forms of discrimination? The squeezing out of various forms of supporter’s culture from football stadia?

But there must also be another side to the coin. Why else would we still call ourselves football supporters?

Over the last two decades, there has been an increasing number of groups, initiatives and organisations of football supporters and affiliates all over Europe that have started to reclaim their game – with varying success. But most of us have realised that being united gives us a more powerful voice towards the football governing bodies.

The football authorities and many public institutions in many countries have begun to consider football supporters as an essential part of the game and are seeking to establish a genuine dialogue. The English government offers financial support to fans’ organisations, the German FA hosted a nationwide congress for German football supporters in June 2007, the EU backed networking events for football supporters’ interests and UEFA president Michel Platini invited representatives of football supporters’ organisations from all over Europe to a seven-hour meeting in December 2007.

The clashes of interests and problems between football officials and fans are still crucial in many places and far from being resolved. We can however make a real effort to engage and benefit from the current rather positive climate at European level and establish a strong voice of football supporters in Europe.

The Football Supporters International FSI has been an independent union of various fan-related organisations that have provided and developed support services for football supporters travelling abroad for more than 15 years. We now want to work towards the establishment of an international network of football supporters that could protect and represent their interests on a European level. 

For further information please contact us!