FSE

What FSE does

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a democratic, non-profit pan-European fan network representing the interests of football supporters across 30+ countries through 80+ National Supporters Organisations and Local Groups. Founded in 2008 and registered as a German eingetragener Verein (e.V.) in Hamburg (Registry Number VR 20279), FSE merged with SD Europe in October 2022 to consolidate its position as the unified representative body for European football supporters. The organisation is led by Executive Director Ronan Evain and operates with 1-10 staff, addressing issues including ticket pricing, safe standing, anti-discrimination, accessibility, supporter liaison, and the deterritorialisation of domestic league matches.

FSE's core portfolio combines permanent programmes and event-based activities. Permanent offerings include the Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) Network (50+ SLOs across 20 countries), the Disability & Inclusion Fan Network (launched June 2025, joined the European Disability Forum in May 2026), Fans' Embassies at international tournaments, the Fan Lawyer Network, and the Sport & Rights Alliance. Flagship events include the biennial European Football Fans Congress (EFFC), the third annual SLO Network Meeting, and the inaugural European Youth Fan Forum (June 2025, under the Erasmus+-funded Future of Football project). Publications include the SAFER Handbook (December 2025), the first Occupational Standards for SLOs (2025, via the TPDS Erasmus+ project with EOSE), and annual reports. FSE's technology stack is operational rather than product-oriented: a SheepCRM-managed membership portal (app.sheepcrm.com/fanseurope/login), Mailchimp for the monthly Fan Digest newsletter, Google Analytics, Akamai Bot Manager, and Invisible reCAPTCHA.

FSE operates a non-commercial revenue model. Membership is free for individuals, National Supporters Organisations, and Local Groups. Funding is derived from European Union grants (Erasmus+ co-funding of the SAFER, TPDS, and Future of Football projects), institutional partnerships — most notably the Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA signed January 2023 covering 2023-2026 — and voluntary donations via PayPal. FSE monetises influence through advocacy outcomes rather than transactions, having secured the first civil-society-initiated Council of Europe recommendation (October 2025), contributed to UEFA's extension of the Standing Facilities Observer Programme for 2026/27, and jointly filed an antitrust complaint with Euroconsumers against FIFA over 2026 World Cup ticket practices (March 2026).

Name

FSE

Legal name

Football Supporters Europe e.V.

Website

https://fanseurope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a democratic, non-profit pan-European fan network representing 80+ National Supporters Organisations and millions of individual football supporters across 30+ countries through advocacy, governance representation, and supporter rights programmes partnered with UEFA and EU institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fan Advocacy and Sports Governance Representation

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Fan advocacy
• Supporter representation
• Football governance
• Sports rights advocacy
• Non-profit fan network

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a democratic, non-profit fan network that represents the interests of football supporters across Europe. It delivers advocacy and governance representation through structured dialogue with UEFA, FIFA, the European Commission, and the Council of Europe, and operates free membership programmes, supporter-liaison training, the biennial European Football Fans Congress (EFFC), the Disability & Inclusion Fan Network, Fans' Embassies, and EU co-funded projects (SAFER, TPDS, Future of Football).

Product overview

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a democratic, non-profit fan network representing the interests of supporters in European football. The organisation operates as a unified advocacy and member service platform rather than a commercial product company. Its core portfolio includes: the FSE membership system (managed via SheepCRM), the European Football Fans Congress (EFFC), the Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) Network with associated training programmes (TPDS Erasmus+ project), the Disability & Inclusion Fan Network, Fans' Embassies for travelling supporters, and various advocacy initiatives including Anti-Discrimination, Safe Standing, and the Future of Football youth project. FSE also produces publications including the SAFER Handbook, SLO Occupational Standards, and annual reports, while delivering monthly communications through its Fan Digest newsletter. The organisation maintains formal partnerships with UEFA (Memorandum of Understanding since 2023) and works with institutional bodies including the European Commission, Council of Europe, and FIFA on supporter rights matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Disability & Inclusion Fan Network (D&IFN): A network focused on strengthening accessibility, amplifying voices of disabled supporters, and driving inclusion across European football.
• European Football Fans Congress (EFFC)

Products and services

• FSE Membership Programme Free membership-based network open to National Supporters Organisations, Local Groups, and Individual supporters across Europe, providing representation, advocacy, governance participation, and access to FSE services.
• European Football Fans Congress (EFFC) FSE's biennial flagship event including workshops, panel sessions, discussions, a Biennial General Meeting (BGM), and networking activities with representatives from European governing bodies and political institutions.
• Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) Network Network and training programme supporting and developing the SLO role across European football, delivered jointly with UEFA and the European Football Community, including the TPDS Erasmus+ project.
• Disability & Inclusion Fan Network Network dedicated to strengthening accessibility, amplifying the voices of disabled supporters, and driving inclusion across European football. The network joined the European Disability Forum in May 2026.
• Fans' Embassies Network providing support and coordination for travelling supporters at international tournaments, helping fans navigate matchday experiences across borders.
• SLO Occupational Standards

Quantifiable outcome

• FSE successfully influenced UEFA's decision to extend the Standing Facilities Observer Programme for 2026/27 across UEFA Club Competitions and national team matches.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• EuroconsumerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026FSE and Euroconsumers jointly filed a formal antitrust complaint with the European Commission against FIFA over excessive ticket prices and opaque/unfair purchasing conditions for the 2026 World Cup. The complaint identifies six specific abuses: sky-high prices, bait advertising ($60 tickets), uncontrolled dynamic pricing, opacity rules, pressure selling tactics, and double-charging on resales.
• European Disability Forum (EDF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026FSE's Disability & Inclusion Fan Network became a member of the European Disability Forum in March 2026, following approval at the EDF General Assembly in Limassol (9–10 May 2026). Membership strengthens representation of football supporters with disabilities within the wider European disability rights movement, connecting supporter advocacy with broader European disability policy and rights campaigns.
• Council of EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Following significant efforts by FSE, the Council of Europe unanimously adopted recommendations in October 2025 reinforcing the rights of travelling supporters and establishing that collective bans must only be used in exceptional circumstances. This is the first time a civil society organisation initiated a Council of Europe recommendation. FSE participated in the Saint-Denis Convention Standing Committee meeting in Strasbourg.
• MFF Support (Malmö FF Supporters Association)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025FSE co-hosted the European Football Fans Congress 2025 (EFFC 2025) with MFF Support in Malmö, Sweden — the most diverse and representative edition with over 30 countries and 80+ NSOs and Local Groups represented.
• European Disability Forum (EDF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025The Disability & Inclusion Fan Network (D&IFN) was launched at EFFC 2025 with backing from UEFA. The network provides a structured platform for fans with disabilities to share experiences and advocate for change. A steering committee was elected to guide the network's development.
• UEFAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025UEFA joined EFFC 2025 and presented updates on Club Competitions regulations, participated in the SLO Network Meeting with over 50 SLOs from 20 countries, and backed the launch of the Disability & Inclusion Fan Network.
• UEFAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2023FSE and UEFA signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalising their relationship and recognising supporters as a meaningful stakeholder in European football. The MOU sets out joint commitments until 2026 including ensuring supporter representation in decision-making, supporting the European Sports Model, safeguarding supporter rights and welfare, promoting human rights, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, developing structured supporter dialogue policies, increasing supporter representation across Europe, and promoting the SLO role. The agreement builds on cooperation dating back to 2008.
• European Union (Erasmus+)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSE co-funded projects including SAFER (Support & Awareness for Female fans in European football through Research, prevention, and remedy) and TPDS (Towards the Professional Development of SLOs), both co-funded by the European Union.
• European LeaguesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in EFFC 2025 alongside UEFA, European Club Association, FIFPRO Europe, Union of European Clubs, and the Council of Europe.
• European Club Association (ECA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in EFFC 2025 alongside UEFA, European Leagues, FIFPRO Europe, Union of European Clubs, and the Council of Europe.
• FIFPRO EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in EFFC 2025 alongside UEFA, European Leagues, European Club Association, Union of European Clubs, and the Council of Europe.
• European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSE partnered with EOSE on the TPDS (Towards the Professional Development of SLOs) Erasmus+ project, which developed the first Occupational Standards for Supporter Liaison Officers.
• Balance S4 (Council of Europe project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSE participated in the Balance S4 workshop at EFFC 2025, discussing safety, security, and service at European football matches. Balance S4 is an ongoing Council of Europe project encouraging supporter input on away match experiences.
• Sport & Rights AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSE co-signed the Sport & Rights Alliance statement on human rights concerns at the 2026 World Cup, raising issues including entry procedures, freedom of speech, and treatment of vulnerable groups including LGBT+ supporters.
• La Liga and Serie AminorOthersFSE opposed La Liga's plan to move Villarreal vs Barcelona to Miami and Serie A's plan to move AC Milan vs Como to Perth. FSE called on UEFA and FIFA to reject these applications. The two leagues were forced to scale back plans after widespread opposition.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Football Supporters' Association: UK national supporters' organisation representing fans in governance and rights matters. Most direct national-level equivalent to FSE; comparable democratic membership model and advocacy mandate.
• Supporters Direct: UK-based supporters' organisation that merged with FSE in October 2022. Operated a near-identical fan-ownership, governance and supporter-liaison mandate, providing a direct comparator on programme portfolio and historical reach.
• FIFPRO Europe: Pan-European players' union with comparable continental democratic mandate, formal engagement with UEFA/FIFA, and analogous advocacy, governance and rights representation model — but on behalf of professional footballers rather than supporters.
• FARE Network: European-level anti-discrimination and social inclusion network in football. Closely overlapping remit with FSE's anti-discrimination programme and similar continental NGO structure focused on fan-side issues.

Others

• Centre for Sport and Human Rights: Multi-stakeholder platform working on human rights in sport policy. Operates adjacent to FSE on World Cup human rights concerns and shares institutional engagement patterns with UEFA, FIFA and the EU.
• European Disability Forum: European umbrella of disability rights organisations that FSE's Disability & Inclusion Fan Network joined in May 2026. Directly comparable in democratic, multi-country NGO structure with EU institutional access.
• Sport & Rights Alliance: Coalition of NGOs and unions addressing human rights in sport, of which FSE is a member. Closely aligned advocacy posture on mega-event governance, fan rights and discrimination; comparable non-profit footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) Fan Department: German FA's dedicated fan liaison function operates a similar stakeholder engagement remit within a single national market. Comparable SLO and inclusion activities, but as part of a much larger governing body rather than an independent advocacy NGO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fanseurope
• Facebookfacebook.com/FansEurope
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/football-supporters-europe

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FSE