Football Supporters Europe (FSE) had the honour of addressing the UEFA Congress for the very first time today in Brussels. This milestone further reflects the recognition of supporters as key stakeholders within European football governance.
Speaking before representatives of all 55 UEFA member national associations and other key stakeholders, FSE used the opportunity to highlight two fundamental principles: football is stronger when supporters are recognised as genuine partners and when stakeholders work together to safeguard the game’s future.
“When other competition organisers are shamelessly taking advantage of fans with sky-high prices and dynamic ticketing models, together with UEFA we have advanced Fans First Ticketing Principles, showing European football is leading the way on fair and accessible ticket prices - as evidenced by the EURO 2028 ticketing framework and the UEFA Club Competitions visiting fans price cap.” – FSE Executive Director Ronan Evain
Progress Through Partnership
FSE’s Executive Director, Ronan Evain, emphasised the tangible progress achieved in recent years through constructive cooperation with UEFA. This includes continued efforts to embed supporters’ voices in governance structures at national level, with encouraging examples from across Europe. The ongoing development, implementation, and professional training of Supporter Liaison Officers (SLOs) across Europe was also highlighted as a concrete demonstration of how our joint work directly improves matchdays for fans and all stakeholders.
FSE warmly welcomed remarks from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and EU Sport Commissioner Glenn Micallef, recognising the contribution of supporters to European football in recognition of and commitment to priorities of supporters.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin spoke about his opposition to domestic league games being moved abroad, affirming “it weakens connection and erodes loyalty. How do you build identity if you remove the game from its home – from those who sing for 90 minutes, who travel in the rain, who follow their clubs through every division? How do you sustain local passion if you trade it away?”.
He additionally acknowledged some of the challenges fans can face on matchdays adding “when coordination breaks down, they are the ones to suffer first. When authorities act alone, without dialogue or planning, matchdays become more fragile not more secure (…) What doesn’t work are blunt measures (…) And what certainly doesn’t work is treating away fans as a problem to be removed.”
The UEFA President echoed the productive cooperation between FSE and UEFA on ticket prices, pointing to its fan-friendly ticketing for UEFA EURO 2028 and the importance of supporters as a stakeholder saying “Fans are not a backdrop. They are the bedrock.”
“When fans are priced out, football loses part of its soul”. European Commissioner Glenn Micallef also expressed solidarity with fans in opposition to the exploitation of their loyalty through policies such as dynamic ticket pricing, and his firm stance against domestic league matches being moved abroad, saying: “Domestic league matches belong in their domestic communities. They belong to the fans who built those clubs. They should not be exported at the expense of supporters.”
Defending the European Sport Model
FSE reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the European Sport Model as the foundation of the game. The unified response to the European Super League was cited as a clear example of what can be achieved when football stands together. Similarly, FSE valued the coordination in opposition to proposals to relocate domestic league matches abroad.
In this context, appreciation was expressed to European Commissioner Glenn Micallef for his understanding of European fan culture and his support for safeguarding the social and cultural fabric of the game.
Looking Ahead
While celebrating meaningful progress, FSE acknowledged that challenges remain. However, these gaps can be bridged through continued dialogue, transparency, and reinforced cooperation between governing bodies and supporters.
FSE also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring football is welcoming and inclusive for all. Noting that in this spirit, it launched its Disability & Inclusion Fans’ Network last year, reinforcing its determination to strengthen and broaden representation of fans with disabilities within the European football supporters’ movement.
Following Ronan Evain, Ted Morris, Liverpool FC Disabled Supporters’ Association Chair and FSE member, shared an insightful video account into his experience as a wheelchair user and some of the challenges that can faced on a matchday.
He encouraged attendees to reflect on how they can better host the next generation of fans with disabilities: “Accessibility must become a priority, because, at its heart, it is about dignity, it is about respect, it is about who we welcome into our football family and who risks being left outside the gates.”
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