F.C. Copenhagen, adidas and Pan Idræt join forces for fan inclusion
Copenhagen Pride 2023 is well under way and at F.C. Copenhagen, in collaboration with adidas, we want to focus further on inclusion and diversity in football, where there has to be room for everyone to enjoy this amazing game.
On Friday evening, employees from F.C. Copenhagen will be at the Pride Cup at Dyrkøb in the inner city, which is the annual football tournament during Pride Week organised by our partner club Pan Idræt, which through football helps to promote inclusivity in sport.
"The message has not changed since we made the agreement with Pan Idræt last year, and that is to ensure that Danish football is for everyone," says director of F.C. Copenhagen Jacob Lauesen.
"Of course we must help draw attention to that. We do this, among other things, by raising awareness of Pan Idræt and their work, but the big challenge is of course done in everyday life in our cooperative clubs together with Pan Idræt."
Inclusion across FCK cooperation clubs
F.C. Copenhagen have a wide number of cooperation clubs across the city and further afield. It is the message of inclusivity and support at Pan Idræt that other clubs are getting behind.
"Pan Sports is the epitome of inclusion, where everyone has a voice and language is the key to community," says Anders Hall Toft, head of FCK Klubsamarbejdet.
"Since we entered into the collaboration, Pan Idræt has been out to several of our partner clubs with presentations to the clubs' coaches and managers, which they have also done internally to our current U15 team in FCK Talent, with the aim of strengthening the community as a unit and supporting diversity."
FCK team to wear Pride shirts from adidas
The F.C. Copenhagen first team take on Hvidovre IF this evening and the players will wear a 'Love Unites' pre-match shirt from adidas' Pride collection during their warm-up.
This is done to highlight that more must be done to make room for everyone in football, as well as to pay tribute to the people who work to promote inclusion and diversity across the sport.
"We are happy that our partner adidas will support this," says Jacob. "They're making their shirts available to the players and are also donating adidas products to Pan Idræt. We see it as a natural extension that we also make an effort with the first team to focus on inclusion."
Buy 'Love Unifies' shirts with profit to Pan Idræt
The 'Love Unites' shirt can also be bought in the FCK Fanshop in a very limited number. At the same time, F.C. Copenhagen and adidas have teamed up to donate DKK 50,000 - corresponding to the expected profit from shirt sales.
This is something that Pan Idræt chairman Christian Bigom welcomes as it will help further work at Pan Idræt.
"At Pan Idræt, we are really happy about the collaboration with FCK. We have an ambition to create a better space for more people in the world of sports and big clubs like FCK are an important key in that work," says Christian.
"You can easily be gay or transgender and at the same time be happy to go to football – that's why we are also happy that FCK and adidas support Pan Idræt's work, not only during Pride Week, but all year round."
A further DKK 50,000 in adidas products
In addition, adidas will also give products worth DKK 50,000 to Pan Idræt, so that they can continue their dedicated work to promote inclusion in Danish football and strengthen the club.
"The financial support from adidas and F.C. Copenhagen is vital for the continued development of Pan Idræt as a club and a significant contribution to us being able to share more of our experience in creating an inclusive and healthy club culture in football and many other sports," adds Christian.
You can see and buy the FCK x adidas 'Love Unifies' shirt here