13.11.2018

Fan groups unite for social change during #FootballPeople weeks

Fan groups from across Europe united to send a positive message of inclusion for all during this year's Football People weeks.

The various fan groups around Europe brought their own twist to the Football People weeks, with creative events bringing activism to the forefront of the campaign.

The Football People weeks are Europe's largest social change movement in sport, involving over 100,000 people including national associations, FAs, professional clubs and grassroots organisations around the world. Included in this, and bringing their own flavour to the Football People party, were fan groups.

For an example, take Austria. There, Antifa Döbling looked at far-right rhetoric across Europe in the form of a panel discussion that focused on the values of tradition, strength, masculinity and honour within football fan culture.

The event discussed the similarities between fans who express these values, which can follow a far-right rhetoric, and how different they are to ordinary football fans. Special guest Antje Grabenhorst from Bremen, Germany attended the event along with other antifa organisations based in Vienna.

In Spain, Xerez C.D. fan group Kolectivo Sur prepared a choreo at one of the club’s home matches scheduled during the #FootballPeople weeks. Kolectivo Sur also organised a workshop for people from different cultures to attend and share their experiences and an anti-racism football tournament.


In Germany, Duisburg based fan group Zebras stehen auf e.V. held three workshops aimed at giving participants an insight into the way victims of discrimination are made to feel after being subjected to abuse. Participants were also given useful information on how to react when confronted with discrimination.


In England Kirklees Sports For All held a free football tournament and fun day for asylum seekers and refugees in West Yorkshire, creating a welcoming environment to help those settling within local communities.

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While the subjects and content of the events held by fan groups were as diverse as the various countries from which the groups themselves originate, at the heart of them they all had one core theme: anti-discrimination and inclusion for all.

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