Supporters from 17 countries came together to shape Football Supporters Europe’s Disability & Inclusion Fan Network’s (D&IFN) goals for the year ahead during the European Football Fans Congress 2025 (EFFC 2025) last month in Malmö, Sweden.
This first gathering of the network, supported by UEFA, identified priorities to drive inclusion forward across European football.
The initiative brings together supporters with disabilities from across Europe, creating a structured and sustainable platform to share experiences, encourage each other, and mobilise fans to independently create an avenue to have their voices heard at local, national, and European level, highlighting challenges and drive progress on accessibility.
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Supporters groups and individual fans focused on disability and inclusion topics have been at the heart of FSE’s work for many years and, following a motion at the 2023 European Football Fans Congress (EFFC), FSE has been building on this foundation with the formal launch of its Disability & Inclusion Fan Network.
The attendees at the meeting also decided on members of a steering committee to help guide the network forward and ensure inclusion & representation remains at the forefront of its activities.
Meet the network’s steering committee for the 2025/2026 season: Rick Clement (Man United, England), Paula (SV Babelsberg 03, Germany), Jane McDermott (Dundalk, Ireland), Simon Scheidegger (Young Boys, Switzerland), Piotr Czarnota (GKS Katowice, Poland), Rebecca Collis (Chelsea, England), Kieran Jones (Cardiff City, Wales), Jasna Nikolovska (FK Pelister, North Macedonia), and Al Rayment (Man United, England).
FSE has the support of UEFA in developing the network further, with UEFA Deputy General Secretary Giorgio Marchetti attending the meeting and engaging with supporters directly.
After the meeting, FSE’s D&IFN Coordinator, James Flanagan, said: “It was clear from the start that this network is driven by a genuine desire to work together for meaningful change. Members brought forward their concerns, priorities, and lived experiences – and turned them into clear, actionable goals for the first year. From day one, we agreed: this isn’t just a talking shop. We’re here to get the work done and deliver tangible improvements for supporters. Having UEFA’s backing is a major boost and will help us accelerate progress in the year ahead.”
Giga Sopromadze, a Network member from Georgia, added: “The event was well organised technically. The information was clearly explained, with easy-to-understand and accessible details. The activities were engaging and focused on important topics. We participated alongside disabled representatives from different countries and UEFA decision-makers, which makes the goal of increasing the involvement of disabled people in football fandom feel truly achievable. Because the event was well focused and included diverse representation, I believe all the goals can be achieved — and I am excited to be contributing to making that a reality.”
Following the launch meeting, the next step is to grow the network and connect with as many supporters as possible across Europe. In the coming months, fans will see the network’s work become more visible ahead of the new season. Supporters are encouraged to get in touch with FSE’s Disability & Inclusion Fan Network (D&IFN) Coordinator, James Flanagan, to share their experiences or raise concerns via email with the subject ‘Disability & Inclusion Fan Network’ to: info@fanseurope.org.
If you’re a supporter with a disability, we want to hear from you. We’re building a pan-European community to drive change, and you can be part of it.
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