LALIGA VS HATE intensifies its fight against violence in stadiums

LALIGA is stepping up its efforts to eliminate hate from stadiums with the launch of its LALIGA VS HATE initiative. Throughout the first matchday under the campaign, fans witnessed innovative activities that reinforce the commitment of football clubs to tolerance and respect. From inspirational messages to effective tools for reporting intolerable acts, LALIGA is making it clear that football is a space for unity and good values. Additionally, with the launch of a powerful campaign ad, LALIGA calls on all fans to eliminate all forms of violence in sport once and for all.

Despite significant progress in the fight against violent discourse in sport, as seen over the weekend, there is still a long way to go. Therefore, LALIGA is urging fans to take an active role in eliminating hate from the stands and the sport as a whole.

A firm commitment between LALIGA and its clubs

A key pillar of this campaign is stadium activations, featuring initiatives designed to educate fans on the importance of experiencing football with respect. These will be gradually implemented across different venues. With measures including the placement of QR codes on seats, signage, and digital displays that facilitate access to a reporting channel allowing fans to easily, quickly, and discreetly report acts of hate. This system ensures that spectators who witness inappropriate behaviour can take action.

As part of the matchday, the role of youth academies was also a major highlight of the campaign. Young players delivered speeches at various moments throughout games, spreading messages of respect and sporting values. Accompanied by first-team players, they encouraged fans to support their teams unconditionally without resorting to discriminatory or violent behaviour. These efforts emphasise the importance of educating young athletes from an early age to eliminate hate from football.

The football we want, let's fight for it today

The new LALIGA VS HATE campaign ad focuses on the importance of eradicating violent behaviour which, although increasingly rare, still persists in stadiums. With the slogan ‘The football we want, let's fight for it today’, the campaign encourages awareness and calls on fans to take action. By highlighting the LALIGA reporting protocol, the initiative gives fans effective tools to report violent acts. The story, told through the eyes of a child, symbolises the collective strength needed to challenge hate in stadiums, underscoring the role that everyone must play in building a football environment free of violence.

The strategy includes a multi-platform rollout across TV, digital platforms, and social media, as well as in-stadium activations in collaboration with the clubs. The campaign is also supported by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, further reinforcing the institutional commitment to combating violence and discrimination in football.

A path towards eradicating hatred in football

Thanks to years of dedicated efforts and the continued strengthening of awareness-raising initiatives following the launch of the LALIGA VS platform in 2023, LALIGA has established itself as a key player in the fight for social justice. This has led to major milestones, including the first-ever legal convictions for racist insults in Spanish football, demonstrating LALIGA’s determination to eliminate violence from stadiums.

In June, Spain saw its first-ever conviction for racist insults in a football stadium, a historic event that marked a turning point in the fight against those who violate people's dignity. Just a few months later, in September, a second court ruling was obtained, further strengthening the work of the sports organisation in its fight against this scourge and underlining the effectiveness of the actions undertaken to put an end to impunity for hate speech in football.