In March 2025, German professional football used its annual league-wide matchday to set an example for social cohesion, under the motto “TOGETHER! Stop Hate. Be a Team.” The DFL, DFL Foundation, and the clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 promoted cohesion, respect, and tolerance during Matchday 27 of the 2024‑25 season. The campaign period ran parallel to the “International Weeks Against Racism” initiative.
“Cohesion in society is currently particularly important to counteract division and shape a positive future,” said Marc Lenz, DFL CEO and Chairman of the DFL Foundation Council. “All of us, in our society, must stand together as a team again to move forward together – just as football demonstrates week after week on the pitch.”
The DFL, DFL Foundation, and the clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are convinced that team spirit makes joint success possible. Cohesion, respect, tolerance, diversity, and compassion have a positive impact wherever people come together – whether in sports teams, companies, or fundamentally in society. The way this togetherness is practiced is a crucial foundation for a positive future and joint successes.
The Bundesliga’s positive impact as a unifying element in society is demonstrated, among other things, by the study “Mehr als ein Spiel” (More than a Game) by the consulting firm McKinsey, which analyzed the economic and socio-political relevance of professional football. One finding is: “The positive influence of the Bundesliga is particularly evident in its ability to bring people together. The Bundesliga provides a physical meeting point for a large part of the population, promotes motivation for social engagement, strengthens regional identification, conveys values, and fosters cohesion.”
On Matchday 27 the TOGETHER! message was visible at all stadiums in Germany’s top two leagues. Among other things, match balls, corner flags, and substitution boards displayed the slogan and colours of the campaign. Players’ warm-up clothing and captain’s armbands are equipped with the TOGETHER! logo. National and international media partners of the DFL and reporting broadcasters further spread the campaign through their coverage. The league, foundation, and clubs provided additional coverage with individual campaigns in their digital networks.
The matchday campaign complemented the continuous and diverse commitment of German professional football, which uses its reach for social issues. Since 2012, there have been corresponding matchdays during the International Weeks Against Racism initiative. During the 2023‑24 season, the focus was on the demand STOP HATE in light of the increasing coarsening of public discourse, especially in social networks. The campaign for the 2024/25 season focused on the message BE A TEAM.
International Day Against Racism
The action week around the International Day Against Racism earlier this year was coordinated in Germany by the Foundation Against Racism. The initiative calls on civil society actors to take a stand against racism and discrimination.
