Next year’s European Football Championship (Euro 2024) hosted by Germany will be “the most political” championship of all time, according to German publication Junge Freiheit.
Football’s European governing body, UEFA, and the German Football Association (DFB) announced on Monday their strategy for next year’s tournament, which is scheduled to take place from 14 June to 14 July, 2024, across ten host cities. However, instead of focusing on the task at hand—namely organising football matches for the 24 participating national teams and entertaining the crowds—the organisers have decided to use the tournament as a way to spread political messages about diversity and anti-racism.
The 15-page strategy paper reveals that apart from focusing on making the tournament climate-friendly and environmentally sustainable—urging spectators to use public transport; reducing the price of train tickets—the hosts are also eager to “fight all forms of discrimination and ensure the rights of all are protected,” as Euro 2024 “celebrates diversity and inclusion.” In alignment with this strategy, “all-gender” toilets will be accessible in the stadiums, all the venues will offer “culturally diverse” food options, and all referees will be re-trained so that they are more aware of discriminatory acts happening in the stands or on the football pitches.
As Junge Freiheit reports, the organisers have partnered with many left-wing groups to implement their strategy, including Amnesty International, the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD), and Queer Football Fans (QFF).
Germany has been particularly sensitive to the issue of LGBT rights in previous tournaments. At Euro 2020, partly organised by Germany, the Mayor of Munich asked UEFA to allow one of the cities’ stadiums, the Allianz Arena, to be lit in rainbow colours during the match between Germany and Hungary. The aim of the spectacle was to protest against Hungary’s child-protection law, deemed by critics of the conservative Hungarian government to be anti-LGBT. UEFA however refused the mayor’s request. “UEFA, through its statutes, is a politically and religiously neutral organisation. Given the political context of this specific request—a message aiming at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament—UEFA must decline this request,” they stated. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Minister for Foreign Affairs welcomed the ruling, saying that common sense prevailed, adding that UEFA “did not play along with the political provocation.”
However, a spectator wearing a German shirt ran onto the pitch with a rainbow flag while the Hungarian anthem was played before the game. Other fans also waved multi-coloured flags during the match.
