We are Empty Stands – a support group of football fans from Germany, Austria and Switzerland so far living with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Long COVID and Post-Vac. More than 120 fans from more than 50 different clubs are currently active in our Signal group.
Due to our disease, we can only express our passion for football to a very limited extent. Some of us are occasionally able to attend matches in the stadium, but we often have to accept a deterioration in our condition (“crash”) in the following days. However, for most of us going to stadiums remains just a dream. Some of us no longer even have the energy to watch our clubs’ matches on TV or listen to them on the radio.
We are currently organizing campaigns with various fan groups in support of the ME/CFS Research Foundation to raise more awareness and funding for ME/CFS research. As football is our shared passion, we want to use it to raise awareness of the disease, encourage donations and to voice our demands to the public. Our self-help chat on Signal also provides those affected with the opportunity to exchange experiences and support each other.
The copyright for the coats of arms belongs to the respective clubs.
Our campaigns
We have already organized campaigns with several German football clubs from the 1st to the 4th division. For example, some clubs gave us the opportunity to show our awareness video on the stadium screen and set up an information stand where our team could inform visitors about ME/CFS.
A player from Hamburger SV also walked onto the pitch carrying a pair of shoes instead of a child, symbolizing the absence of children suffering from ME/CFS. Additionally, during a match of 1. FC Heidenheim, the walk-on children wore awareness shirts.
Besides, fans of several clubs have also shown solidarity by preparing banners for us.
How you can support us
- Donate to the ME/CFS Research Foundation. You can be sure that 100% of your donations go into biomedical research.
- Connect with other sufferers or their relatives, as planning campaigns requires energy, which we don’t have much of.
- Contact clubs and fan groups to ask for their support.
As ME/CFS is a global issue, we are grateful for international supporters who help us raise awareness. If you would like to learn from our experiences to start your own campaigns in your country, don’t hesitate to contact us!
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Awareness Matchday with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
© Hasan Batic On April 4, 2026, our Awareness Matchday in cooperation with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim during the home match against FSV Mainz 05 took place. The highlight of the day was the […]