Football fans celebrate diversity: summer events from the scene in Germany

Football fans celebrate diversity: summer events from the scene in Germany

Football fans in Germany have achieved a lot this summer. Various tournaments and events characterized the summer break and showed the liveliness of the fan scenes. The focus was particularly on the annual Antira tournament in St. Pauli, which was a real highlight this year. In collaboration with the support group USP, visitors from various countries, including Italy and France, came to Hamburg to campaign for anti-racism and against discrimination. Loud Fascination fan curve The event was a meeting point for fans from many clubs who together made a strong statement.

The weekend opened on Friday, May 30th, with a German and English-language harbor tour that discussed the dark Nazi history and forced labor in the port of Hamburg. In the evening it continued in Knust, where prominent representatives discussed the state repression against football fans. Among others, voices from Hamburg, Bremen, Jena, Marseille and Tel Aviv were represented, moderated by Vice President Luise Gottberg. FC St Pauli supports this important discussion and encourages exchange about football and society.

Diversity and competition on the pitch

Things got sporty on Saturday, where exciting games took place as part of the Antira tournament. In the final of the FLINTA* tournament, the Discover Football players from Kreuzberg prevailed against the Red Star from Leipzig. In addition, in the mixed teams final, Infamous Youth and the Black Claw team competed with a young team from Filmstadt Youth, Giovanile and Ragazzi. In total, the tournament attracted more than 2,000 visitors who not only played football, but also celebrated in the fan rooms of the Millerntor Stadium.

But that wasn't all the summer break had to offer. Fan scenes from cities such as Frankfurt, Bochum and Dresden also organized numerous events. In Frankfurt, the 25th anniversary of the friendship with Bergamo was celebrated with banners and joint graffiti. Meanwhile, “Children's Day in Dynamoland” took place in Albert-Schwarz-Bad Heidenau, where over 700 participants from family centers and sports clubs enjoyed a happy celebration. The annual Ostkurve Summer Cup was celebrated in Bochum, which featured various stands and activities.

A look at racism in football

The need for such dedicated events is underpinned by the current challenges facing football. The discussion about racism in sport is more important than ever. Loud bpb A study shows that ethnic minorities are severely underrepresented in leadership positions in football and racist stereotypes are still widespread. One example is the decline in racist incidents reported by the DFB in 2023, while an independent body documented increasing numbers.

With the anti-racism campaign “Football time is the best time against racism,” the DFB is trying to set an example that goes beyond professional players. This campaign is specifically aimed at local amateur teams, who are often a first point of contact for young migrants and refugees. It remains to be seen whether these initiatives will actually lead to a fundamental rethink of football's governance structure.

The summer activities of the fan scenes are not only of great importance for sport, but also for society. They stand for more democracy, diversity and a symbol against racism in football. The Bundesliga and EU football associations have a responsibility to support and further promote this positive trend.