“Fans don’t want football to be dominated by 15 clubs, they want to dream that they can win trophies, but they also want their clubs’ futures to be secure”
Our full positions paper is available now.
SD Europe made its positions clear at the UEFA Convention yesterday & today:
Vastly improved financial sustainability & responsibility within European football protecting clubs & leagues
Consistent good governance involving ownership, fan representation in decision making & the special status of fans
Creating greater parity & growing the women’s game
Strengthen competitiveness & greater solidarity between clubs, leagues & UEFA making the game fairer
Fans don’t want football to be dominated by 15 clubs, they want to dream that they can win trophies, but they also want their clubs’ futures to be secure!
Financial sustainability has to be a priority.
There MUST be significant improvements to FFP, including tougher sanctions on rule breakers and a stronger licencing system to press clubs to improve. Stakeholders agreed – football is not just about competition, it’s about cooperation. Solidarity is key!
State ownership of football clubs and multi-club ownership and influence must be monitored and regulated to protect the clubs and communities involved. Questions also remain as to why state-owned clubs are able to participate in European club football while the European Commission prohibits clubs from benefiting from cities or countries.
Financial solidarity needs to be followed by social solidarity, including the foundation of a European social fund for football. We need more solidarity between leagues, within leagues, between domestic and European competitions, between clubs and between the professional and grassroots game. Football also has a challenge with diversity that must be addressed honestly with clear actions to improve.
Stakeholders agreed that the game needs collective decision making which includes fans and players. The ills of the game need to be addressed by a balance of stakeholders, not the same people and interests making the same decisions for the benefit of a few.
We will continue working on our positions together with the SD Europe membership and wider network.