Agreement formally recognises supporters as a meaningful stakeholder in European football and builds on the strength of cooperation established in recent years.
Football Supporters Europe and UEFA have today signed their first ever Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Nyon, formalising a relationship that has existed between the two organisations since 2008. This landmark occasion takes relations to new levels and sets out the priorities and structure of the partnership until 2026.
The agreement conclusively recognises the critical role that fans have in the development of the future of European football and lays out the commitments of both organisations, which include:
- Ensuring the views of supporters are adequately represented in the decision-making process in European football structures
- Ongoing support for the European Sports Model
- Safeguarding and working to enhance the rights and welfare of all supporters attending football matches in UEFA club and national team competitions
- Promoting human rights, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in European football to ensure the game is open to everyone
- Promoting and assisting the development of structured supporter dialogue policies at national level through work with both members of both organisations
- Increasing supporter representation across Europe, particularly in countries where representative structures are not yet in place
- Promoting the importance of the Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) role;
The MOU also outlines continued support by both organisations of the European football pyramid, the open system of promotion and relegation within domestic leagues culminating with qualification to European competitions, top-down financial solidarity, as well as football’s social and educational functions.
The agreement represents the culmination of increased dialogue and improved relations between the organisations, following years of working towards formal recognition of supporters within UEFA’s governance structures. The milestone also demonstrates that fan representation is unequivocally stronger following the merger between FSE and SD Europe, the two supporters’ organisations active in European football, last October which also sealed FSE’s democratic mandate as the representative body for supporters at European level.
Welcoming the agreement today, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said:
“Without the continued loyalty of football fans, the game would not enjoy its success and popularity. UEFA is committed to ensuring that the needs and viewpoints of fans are a key consideration. Today’s landmark agreement shows that here at UEFA this is not an empty sentiment. We look forward to working with Football Supporters Europe on behalf of football fans in the years to come to ensure the game is a safe, secure, and welcoming place for all.”
Executive Director for Football Supporters Europe, Ronan Evain, added:
“Today is an exciting milestone for FSE. The MOU demonstrates that UEFA understands the value and importance of football fans, whether it’s through protecting the future of European football, helping supporters have influence within their clubs and at national level, protecting human rights, or raising awareness around the positive contribution that supporters make to the game. We believe the joint commitments of the agreement will benefit all fans and we are excited to begin a new chapter of work together.”
FSE would like to thank UEFA for the extensive cooperation in the lead up to the signature of this MOU and is looking forward to working on its implementation and the benefit it will bring for all European football supporters.
Read the MOU here.
To provide greater brackground and context, we’ve created an MOU FAQ here.