Today, the Uefa Executive Committee announced that it has approved the use of safe standing facilities in three countries for the upcoming 2022-23 season. The decision means clubs will be permitted, in line with domestic regulations, to use standing terraces for all Uefa club competition games in France, Germany, and England in the coming weeks.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and supporters’ organisations from across the continent have long campaigned for Uefa to lift its outdated ban on standing at football stadia through our continent-wide ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign.
This sustained lobbying, as well as constructive meetings with Uefa officials, resulted in a feasibility study and now this latest recommendation. FSE welcomes this decision as a logical and positive step towards a full revaluation of Uefa’s all-seater policy.
Uefa General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis explained:
“The launch today of the Standing Facilities Observer Programme will be a welcome decision to football fans and clubs across the continent who have long voiced their desire to stand at European games. The aim of the Programme is to enable Uefa to observe the ordinary use of a range of different standing facilities in the participating countries of England, France and Germany, over the coming season. These observations, carried out by independent experts, will guide future decisions on standing at Uefa competitions. We know and understand how much active fans contribute to the game and we look forward to continuing our work with FSE to ensure fans get to live their passion in the safest possible way.”
Commenting on Uefa’s decision, Gregor Weinreich, coordinator of the ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign and FSE Board member, said:
“While this will be seen in a few years’ time as a natural development, it is also an historic victory for the European supporters’ movement. We welcome the evolution of Uefa towards an evidence-based safety and security policy, taking into account the needs and expectations of active fans. For our members, our ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign has always been about giving fans a choice in how to support their team in a safe manner.”
Philipp Reschke, member of the Eintracht Frankfurt Board and recent host of the European Football Fans Congress, said:
“This is a smart decision by Uefa, which we deeply appreciate. We want our fans to support our team in the best possible conditions and in line with the traditions we see week in week out here in Germany. Standing terraces are an integral part of that. We would like to express our sincere thanks to FSE and its member organisations for their tireless advocacy on this issue.”