Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has once again outlined its opposition to UEFA future plans for European competition, with a statement co-signed by groups representing millions of matchgoing fans across the continent.

The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) is a co-signatory along with dozens of other supporter groups, including those with representatives on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, under the slogan #WinItOnThePitch.

“In the past weeks, the press has been awash with reports of yet more changes to the format of UEFA club competitions, which will be decided upon this week,” says FSE. 

“This is a clear indication that the clubs and officials in charge of deciding the future of European football are still unable to agree on a common position—let alone one that will benefit all stakeholders.”

In contrast FSE points out that supporters have been consistent in their opposition to changes which would strengthen the dominance of wealthy clubs and lead to “more boring, no stakes football”.

FSE says there are three fundamental problems with the reported UEFA reforms:

• Calendar – more European games will make the rich richer and undermine competition within domestic leagues and between leagues. The extra pressure on domestic calendars would also endanger domestic cup competitions. 
• Access list – allowing clubs to qualify for Europe based on historic performance, rather than the most recent season, is fundamentally unfair, anti-competitive and goes against the principles of sporting merit. 
• Financial solidarity – tinkering with the format of competitions does nothing to address the biggest issues facing European football. A radical overhaul of UEFA’s revenue distribution model is needed so that money is shared more equally between participating and non-participating clubs. 

FSE demands that UEFA focus its attention on these structural issues rather than “juvenile daydreams of extended half-time shows, week-long finals, and Superbowl knock-offs. Listen to the millions of matchgoing fans across the continent by dropping these reforms and acting in the best interests of the whole European game. The time to do so is now.”

#WinItOnThePitch signatories:

Club-based supporter groups

• Supportersvereniging Ajax (AFC Ajax / Netherlands)
• Mauves Army 2003 (RSC Anderlecht / Belgium)
• Arsenal Supporters’ Trust / Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association (Arsenal FC / England)
• Asociación Señales de Humo / Unión Internacional de Peñas del Atlético de Madrid / EscudoAtleti (Atlético de Madrid / Spain)
• Nordkurve12 Leverkusen (Bayer Leverkusen / Germany)
• Südkurve München / Club Nr.12 (Bayern München / Germany)
• Diabos Vermelhos 1982 (SL Benfica / Portugal)
• Südtribüne Dortmund / BVB Fanabteilung (Borussia Dortmund / Germany)
• F.C. København Fan Club (F.C. København / Denmark)
• Ultras Monaco 1994 (AS Monaco / Monaco)
• Bad Gones 1987 (Olympique Lyonnais / France)
• Lyon 1950 (Olympique Lyonnais / France)
• Collectif Ultras Paris (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
• Supportersvereniging PSV (PSV Eindhoven / Netherlands)
• 7c / Fedayn / Boys / Nel Nome di Roma / Roma / Romanismo / Royalist / Brigata De Falchi / Insurrezione (AS Roma / Italy)
• Accionistas Unidos (Sevilla FC / Spain)
• Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (Tottenham Hotspur / England)
• gäubschwarzsüchtig – GSS (BSC Young Boys / Switzerland)

National supporter organisations

• Danske Fodboldfans (Denmark)
• Football Supporters’ Association (England and Wales)
• Association Nationale des Supporters (France)
• BBAG e.V. (Germany)
• Bündnis aktiver Fussball Fans (Germany)
• F_in Netzwerk Frauen im Fussball (Germany)
• Pro Fans (Germany)
• Queer Football Fanclubs (Germany)
• Unsere Kurve e.V. (Germany)
• Supporterscollectief Nederland (Netherlands)
• The Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (Northern Ireland)
• Associação Portuguesa de Defesa do Adepto – APDA (Portugal)
• Irish Football Supporters Partnership (Republic of Ireland)
• Supporters Direct Scotland (Scotland)
• Scottish Football Supporters Association (Scotland)
• Aficiones Unidas (Spain)
• FASFE – Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol Español (Spain)
• Taraf-Der (Turkey)
• Taraftar Hakları Derneği (Turkey)
• Football Supporters Europe