Over recent seasons, we’ve continued work to engage with younger supporters and build relationships to ensure the future health of the supporters movement.

Part of that has been holding informal fan forums online to gauge the thoughts and ideas of younger fans that are involved at different levels of their supporter organisations. 

These discussions enable supporters from across the pyramid to raise issues, talk about their own experiences, and focus on topics including: ticket pricing, how accessible supporter organisations are, how we can encourage activism, as well as representation and younger supporter involvement in Fan Advisory Boards (FABs).

Future of Football Project

The FSA also continues to work as part of the Football Supporters Europe-led Future of Football Project, aiming to increase the number of younger fans involved in supporter organisations and specifically within democratic fan structures. 

One of our supporter representatives from our national working group for young fans, Sam White from Charlton Athletic Supporters’ Trust, recently attended the European Football Fans’ Congress in Malmo, Sweden, to discuss the work going on with young supporters in English football.

Sam said: “We spoke to Congress about the challenges of meaningful fan engagement with young fans, as well as the difficult challenges of increasing involvement for young fans in both football clubs, supporter groups and direct democratic football organisations.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to Football Supporters Europe Colleagues Tony Earnst, Mattia Angelini, Mathias Johansson and Stuart Dykes for their support and engagement in hosting Congress.”

“Thanks must also be given to FSA’s Jess Grundy for her continued support and efforts to further support the work being done across England and Wales to increase youth participation in football structures.”

The FSA is one of seven partners involved in the project and has been working with supporters from SFSU (Sweden), Koordinationsstelle Fanprojekte (Germany), Norsk Supportersallianse (Norway) FASFE (Spain) and Sandlanders (Africa).

• Want to hear more about our work in this area? Email [email protected]