From 6 to 9 July 2017, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) gather for its European Football Fans Congress in Gent and Lokeren.
More than 300 fan activists from the FSE network and beyond are expected.
This year’s #EFFC2017 is hosted by fans of the rival teams of Gent and Lokeren, the Supportersfederatie Gent and Front 282 Lokeren, with the support of the national umbrella organisation Belgian Supporters, KSC Lokeren, KAA Gent, Voetbal in de Stad and UEFA.
With the input from FSE members and the local organising team, a broad-ranged #EFFC2017 programme has been set up, allowing exchanges between supporters and other football stakeholders on the most pressing issues for football fans in Europe. The #EFFC2017 kicks off with a Welcome party at the beach of Gent’s Blaarmeerse on Thursday evening. On Friday and Saturday, participants will have the opportunity to take part in several workshops and panel discussions in the Ghelamco Arena (Gent, Friday) and Daknam Stadion (Lokeren, Friday).
The #EFFC2017 workshops include the following topics:
– Away Fans at European Competitions
– Football & Refugees
– Council of Europe Convention on safety, security and service approach at football matches
– Alternative approaches to pyrotechnics
– Access and inclusion: ensuring disabled people can take their rightful places in football
– (moderated by CAFÉ)
– Accountability in Football: how supporters can contribute (moderated by SD Europe)
– FSE’s Fan.tastic Females Exhibition
Furthermore two plenary sessions will be held, dealing with:
– Supporters, terrorism and states of emergency
– Safe standing
Besides, supporters will have the opportunity for network meetings and to meet other fans from all over Europe and beyond. Of course, social activities won’t come off badly, too. The #EFFC2017 is once again free of charge and open to all supporters and other interested parties. We are happy to welcome, amongst others, Mats Enquist (General Director of the Swedish Football League), Ivo Belet (Member of the European Parliament), Marc Timmer (UEFA), Alex Wolf (Orlando City SC) and Lasse Bauer (Brøndby IF).
The European Football Fans Congress (#EFFC) of FSE takes place every second year and is the biggest gathering of football fans of its kind – the only event where they can regularly exchange views with decision-makers and stakeholders of international football.