TOGETHER! Match Day 2026: Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga take a stand against hate and discrimination
Around Matchday 27 of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, German professional football is uniting to champion social cohesion.
Under the slogan “TOGETHER! Stop Hate. Be a Team”, the DFL, the DFL Foundation and the 36 professional clubs are once again promoting respect, fair play and solidarity through a league-wide action matchday and a wide range of other initiatives. The campaign period runs in parallel with the International Weeks Against Racism (16–29 March 2026) and reinforces the year-round commitment of German professional football.
Discrimination in Germany – figures that give pause for thought
The social challenges are immense: hatred and discrimination continue to rise in Germany. In 2024, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency received around 11,400 requests for advice (link in German) from people who had experienced discrimination – a record high. A Forsa study commissioned by the DAK-Gesundheit (link in German) shows that around three-quarters of those surveyed feel there are more insults, disrespect and aggression in social interactions.
Marc Lenz, DFL Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the DFL Foundation, emphasises: “Football brings millions of people together. It is precisely this power and reach that we want to harness to set boundaries and stand up for respectful interactions. A positive future can only be shaped together – in sport just as much as in our society.”
Professional football thrives on diversity
The Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga stand for diversity: players from 64 nations are currently active in the two leagues. Week after week, both on and off the pitch, they demonstrate how solidarity, respect and team spirit work, regardless of origin, religion or identity. The clubs and their fans, as well as the DFL, are also actively involved in numerous anti-discrimination initiatives throughout the year.
TOGETHER! – Visible in the stadiums and beyond
On the campaign matchday, the message “TOGETHER! Stop Hate. Be a Team.” will be present in the stadiums: banners, match balls, corner flags and substitution boards will bear the slogan, and it will also be featured in TV broadcasts and on the digital channels of the clubs and partners. The campaign clip opens with real hate messages and uses various examples to clearly demonstrate how hate can sound and feel in our society. Towards the end, the video highlights many positive moments of solidarity and unity from the stadiums of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga: together, we can stand up to hate.
The activities extend far beyond the stadium: all 36 professional clubs are involved in a wide range of initiatives promoting solidarity, diversity and combating discrimination – an overview can be found at bundesliga-wirkt.dfl.de (platform in German). To mark the campaign matchday, the kids’ clubs of 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Eintracht Frankfurt, for example, are organising a joint workshop on respect and fairness with 30 children and young people. The DFL Foundation and Lernort Stadion e.V. are supporting the “March Against Bullying” campaign launched by Aktion Mensch with special workshops on respectful and non-discriminatory coexistence.
The TOGETHER! matchday is part of German professional football’s ongoing commitment to social issues. Since 2012, the Bundesliga has also taken a clear stand during the International Weeks Against Racism – this year with the clear message: Stop Hate.
International Weeks Against Racism
The International Weeks Against Racism stem from a United Nations initiative. The campaign period covers two weeks centred around the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, during which the Foundation Against Racism calls on civil society actors to take a stand against racism and discrimination. In 2023, the DFL and the DFL Foundation, together with the clubs of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, are already supporting the initiative with the message “STOP RACISM”.
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