Football Supporters Europe
| Founded | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Location | |
|
Area served
|
UEFA member countries |
| Mission | Football Fan Networking |
| Website | fanseurope |
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) is a football fan network formally established as a non-profit member association and claiming to have members from more than 48 UEFA member countries. Founded in July 2008 at the first European Football Fans Congress, it is considered as a legitimate partner for fan issues by institutions like the UEFA, the Council of Europe or European Professional Football Leagues.
FSE can trace its history back to the international collaboration by fans’ organisations under the former name of Football Supporters International to provide “Fans’ Embassy” advice, information and support services to fans of national teams at international tournaments.
But the real story of FSE as it now exists began in July 2008, when the UK's Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) hosted in London the first European Football Fans’ Congress.
The London meeting, held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, discussed the issues which concerned fans across Europe, and gave a great impetus to the development of the network. The following year, in Hamburg, the second European Football Fans’ Congress (EFFC) was held, and alongside the workshops on issues such as discrimination, policing, ticket pricing and commercialisation, the decision was taken to adopt statutes and formally establish the network.
The FSE member basis consists of individual football supporters as well as locally, nationally and transnationally active fan groups and initiatives members (allegedly from more than 48 UEFA member countries). FSE claims to represent around 3 million football fans overall and therefore to be the world’s biggest fan organisation.
The highest body of the organisation is the “Bi-Annual General Meeting” (BGM) of Football Supporters Europe (FSE). The BGM is held every two years during the EFFC and it is here that the members decide with their vote about the aims, objectives and future actions of the network, approve changes to its statutes and elect the members of the FSE Committee from within the FSE membership for the following two years.
The FSE Committee is the main management board of the network, consisting of the FSE Coordination, the directors of the on-topic divisions and the elected members. Its members are responsible for the overall running of the European football fans’ network. The FSE Committee members take the most important decisions, develop activities together with the wider membership and represent FSE at various activities, events and meetings such as the Annual Meeting with the UEFA President in Nyon / Switzerland.
...
Wikipedia