Supporters are to be formally integrated into UEFA’s governance structures for the first time, following a landmark decision by the UEFA Executive Committee (ExCo) earlier this week.
The announcement was made on Thursday, 29th June 2023 with fans given dedicated seats on relevant standing committees within European football’s governing body, along with player representatives.
Football Supporters Europe have long advocated for supporters to be included in decisions that affect them, and this announcement marks a turning point for supporter involvement in the governance of European football.
As the democratic voice of European football fans, FSE will now join national associations, clubs, leagues, and players on:
- Stadium and Security Committee
- Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee
FSE has been involved in the UEFA Convention on the Future of European Football since its inception in 2021. During the first two editions, commitments were made that UEFA would move towards a more inclusive governance structure, giving representation to a wider range of stakeholders. This was also reinforced last week when UEFA President Alexander Čeferin addressed supporter representatives at the European Football Fans Congress (EFFC) in Manchester.
Ronan Evain, FSE Executive Director said: “Earlier this year, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA. This week’s decision signals another significant breakthrough towards proper representation for supporters in the governance of the game.
“Decisions concerning supporters should not be made without supporters. We have a critical role to play in the development of the game and informing decision making, which UEFA now formally recognises.
“Participation on these committees furthers our cooperation with UEFA to ensure supporters’ priorities are heard. We look forward to working with UEFA and the other stakeholders represented.”
A number of additional decisions made at the ExCo meeting reinforce the ongoing work between FSE and UEFA.
A Fan Advisory Board will be created to facilitate a bilateral, stakeholder-specific platform of engagement that will provide opportunities for input and further dialogue from a wider range of supporter representatives on key topics of interest.
In addition, it was announced that the Standing Facilities Observation Programme has been extended for at least another season in its current format. FSE will continue to lobby for this extension to lead to a full revision of the regulations in due course to ensure fans can stand at European games in future, as they can during their own domestic matches.