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Written by Ren & Stimpy

Published: 10 June 2015

The European Football Fans Congress in the vibrant and inspirational capital city of Belfast / Northern Ireland is coming closer - and so is the end of our registration period. So: Register now for the EFFC and spread the word!

Tell your friends to join us and include the EFFC 2015 as part of your holiday and experience more of what the Emerald Isle has to offer. Our hosts, the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) are looking forward to show their hospitality in Belfast.

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Written by Daniela Wurbs

Published: 14 May 2015

ONLY ONE CANDIDATE MAKES FIRM PLEDGE TO TACKLE HUMAN RIGHTS AND CORRUPTION IN WORLD FOOTBALL.

In response to a survey from a coalition of leading NGOs, sports organisations and trade unions, only one of the four candidates for the FIFA presidency has set out a plan to address human rights, labour rights and corruption issues if successful in their bid for the top job at world football’s governing body.

The Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA) sent a questionnaire to the candidates - Sepp Blatter, Luis Figo, Prince Ali bin Al Hussain and Michael van Praag - last month. It asked specific questions about abuses linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and about the FIFA reform process. The FIFA presidential election takes place on 29 May in Zurich.

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Written by Ren & Stimpy

Published: 02 June 2015

Members of Football Supporters Europe have been appalled, if not entirely surprised, at the arrests of leading FIFA officials on charges of corruption and bribery this week.

We believe that these latest revelations are symptomatic of deep-seated and systemic failures of governance within FIFA, an organisation that has lacked any transparency, accountability or genuine democratic processes under the ‘leadership’ of Sepp Blatter.

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Written by Philipp Markhardt

Published: 22 April 2015

In view of a recent UEFA Disciplinary decisions taken against the Croatian Football Association for racist conduct of fans, the members of the FSE Fans Embassy Team in Italy have released the subsequent statement: 

As Italian Fans Embassy team, having accompanied and supported Italian national team fans across Europe for many years now, we hereby express our deepest disagreement with the UEFA decision to have the next match between Croatia and Italy (which is a qualifying match for EURO 2016) on 12 June 2015 in Split played without spectators.

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Written by Sport & Rights Alliance

Published: 29 May 2015

Responding to the result of the FIFA presidential elections today, in which Sepp Blatter has won a fifth term in office, despite the most recent corruption scandals, Transparency International’s Sylvia Schenk said on behalf of the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA):

"These elections are a key opportunity for FIFA to turn over a new leaf in regard to human rights and corruption. FIFA has long been dogged by corruption scandals and other controversies, including migrant worker abuse linked to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. While the arrests of top FIFA officials in Zurich this week might force the organisation into finally dealing properly and effectively with allegedly endemic corruption, it has yet to demonstrate any real commitment to ensuring mega events such as Qatar 2022 are not built on a foundation of exploitation and abuse."

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Written by Ren & Stimpy

Published: 21 April 2015

A coalition of leading NGOs, sports organisations and trade unions has written to all four presidential candidates from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, known as Fifa, urging them to commit to addressing human rights, labour rights and anti-corruption issues in future World Cups if successful in their bid for the presidency.

The election of a new president takes place on 29 May in Zurich. The candidates are Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, Miguel Figo, Michael van Praag, and the incumbent president, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter.

In the questionnaire from the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA), the candidates are asked whether they will systematically engage with civil society and if in the first 100 days of their presidency they intend to address corruption, labour issues and other human rights concerns around the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups.

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Written by Philipp Markhardt

Published: 28 May 2015

Just in time for the Champions League final in Berlin, we put together all relevant info for all fans attending the match. You can find it ready for download in the mobile app stores with the new update of our FSE Fans’ Guide App – download it now!

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Written by Daniela Wurbs

Published: 07 April 2015

Sport and Rights Alliance Calls on European Olympic Committees to Act

Rights abuses may taint the first European Games unless the European Olympic Committees and key National Olympic Committees urge the Azerbaijani government to release unjustly imprisoned journalists and activists, the Sport and Rights Alliance said today. 

Azerbaijan is to host the first European Games in the capital, Baku, from 12 - 28 June 2015. An estimated 6,000 athletes from 50 countries are to participate in 20 sports. The games are organised under the auspices of the Olympic Movement.  Apart from that, Baku was also selected to host football matches of the European Championships of UEFA in 2020 that will take place in 13 countries across the continent.

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Written by Philipp Markhardt

Published: 28 May 2015

New issue of the FSE Fanzine REVIVE THE ROAR out now! This fourth edition features 16 articles from supporters from 15 countries that give a status report about the situation in football and for football fans across Europe.

Of course, all contributions represent entirely subjective views of supporters and certainly do not claim to unveil the ultimate truth. But they can certainly paint a very honest picture of how individual fans experience their football back home.

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Written by Ren & Stimpy

Published: 20 March 2015

On 16 March, the annual meeting of the FSE Committee with UEFA took place, together with our partners Supporters Direct Europe and Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE). Whilst progress was made and joint actions were discussed with regards to nominative ticket schemes and travel restrictions, we had to register that UEFA  was still unwilling to move even an inch in its position on collective punishments of fans.

The FSE Committee is still missing a sign of understanding from UEFA for the fact that punishing fans that haven’t done anything wrong whatsoever, is unjust, doesn’t meet judicial principles and is hence counter-productive to motivating fans in the important commitment against racism.