© Alamy
Posted on 29th July 2022
This week UEFA confirmed that it has approved the use of safe standing in European competitions for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
The decision by UEFA’s executive committee means clubs will be permitted, in line with domestic regulations, to use standing terraces for all UEFA club competition games in France, Germany and England.
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and supporters’ organisations from across the continent, including the FSA, have long campaigned for UEFA to lift its outdated ban on standing at football through the continent-wide ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign.
Gregor Weinreich, coordinator of the ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign and FSE Board member, said: “While this will be seen in a few years’ time as a natural development, it is also an historic victory for the European supporters’ movement.
“For our members, our ‘Europe Wants to Stand’ campaign has always been about giving fans a choice in how to support their team in a safe manner.”
UEFA says it will be observing supporters in a range of different standing facilities at European games in England, France and Germany, over the coming season.
These observations, carried out by independent experts, will guide future decisions on standing at UEFA competitions, says the governing body.
Philipp Reschke, member of the Eintracht Frankfurt Board and recent host of the European Football Fans Congress, said: “This is a smart decision by UEFA, which we deeply appreciate.
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to FSE and its member organisations for their tireless advocacy on this issue.”
UEFA announced today that supporters of teams competing in the Champions League and Europa League final will be offered a substantial number of free tickets as a gesture of thanks for their support of European football during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This weekend the football authorities, FA, Premier League, EFL and Women’s Super League, are repeating their warnings around the dangers of pyrotechnics at football, reminding fans that anyone found in possession or using pyro faces club bans and will be reported to the police.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) was contacted last night by the Sports Ground Safety Association (SGSA), who told us that the option for football clubs to offer licensed standing at all levels of the game in England and Wales has at last been passed into official Government policy.
Brentford, QPR and Wolves are the latest clubs to confirm they will have safe standing areas – and more clubs are expected to follow next season as the Government has confirmed that Premier League and Championship clubs can introduce standing during 2022/23.
