A record-breaking number of clubs have signed up to support Amnesty International's Football Welcomes weekend.
More than 160 clubs – almost triple the previous year’s number – are set to take part to highlight the important role football clubs can play in welcoming refugees into their local communities, and in helping them to settle in to a new country and culture.
The initiative has been backed by clubs from across the Premier League, English Football League, FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s National League
It will be the third year of the Football Welcomes weekend, which takes place on April 27 and 28.
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This year’s event will see football clubs from across England, Scotland and Wales giving free match tickets to refugees and people seeking asylum, arranging player visits, stadium tours, or organising matches and tournaments for refugees in their communities. Others will have first team players warming up in Football Welcomes t-shirts and promote the weekend in their programmes and on their websites.
From a group of children who fled the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and became some of the first refugees to play professionally in the UK, from Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren to Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka, Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke, Charlton Athletic’s Liz Ejupi and ex-Manchester City forward Nadia Nadim, players with a refugee background have been making their mark on the game for decades.
Ahead of the weekend, Amnesty have released new data on the rise in racism and xenophobia in football and the calls from fans to tackle it. The survey shows that two in five (41%) football fans believe there has been an increase in racism and more than a third (34%) believe there has been an increase in xenophobia in football over the last three years.
The survey also says that nearly a quarter (23%) have personally witnessed an increase in racism and/or xenophobia in football and one in ten (12%) have personally experienced it. Ninety per cent of football fans agree that clubs have a responsibility to tackle it.
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Naomi Westland, Football Welcomes manager at Amnesty International UK said: "It’s clear that football is a powerful force for good, bringing people together and providing a sense of belonging, and we are delighted that more clubs than ever are taking part in Football Welcomes this year.
"Across the country football clubs are doing amazing work to take a stand and show there is more that unites us than divides us.
"Football clubs are at the heart of their communities and can play an important role in creating respect and friendship across cultures.
"With so many people across the globe forced to abandon their homes due to conflict and persecution, this weekend the message from football is clear: refugees are welcome in the UK."
Chelsea defender Anita Asante, an Amnesty ambassador, said: "It can take a lot of integrity and courage to stand up against divisive and hateful actions and rhetoric but as football players, teams and fans it’s important we all play our part.
"Lots of people identify with football, wherever they are from and whatever their background. That’s why it’s so heartening to see the footballing community come together for a weekend of welcoming and supporting refugees."
To find out more about Football Welcomes and see a map of participating clubs please visit www.amnesty.org.uk/footballwelcomes
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