- Football giant LiveScore has signed a groundbreaking partnership with the Football Safety App, giving millions of UK football fans access to the anti-discrimination platform
- The partnership comes as football continues to battle a growing abuse crisis, with incidents of racism and wider discrimination still present at all levels of the game
- The Football Safety App has been developed by Emile Heskey, alongside a team of developers, to give people a safe and simple way to report abuse wherever it happens
- The app itself is backed by some of the biggest names in the game, including former England striker Emile Heskey, Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and safeguarding experts Paul Stewart and Peter Reid
Wednesday 23rd September, London: Millions of UK football fans are set to gain access to a new football safety app backed by Emile Heskey, after football giant LiveScore signed a groundbreaking partnership with the Football Safety App.
The landmark agreement will see users of one of the world’s biggest football apps introduced to the free Football Safety App, giving supporters, players, officials and club staff a new way to report abuse and safety concerns anonymously and in real time.
The partnership comes as football continues to battle a growing abuse crisis, with incidents of racism, discrimination, threats and unacceptable behaviour affecting every level of the game, from grassroots football to the professional stage.
The app will also allow fans to report incidents on trains and public transport on the way to a game, tackle online abuse and even highlight issues in local pubs relating to match day activity.
The Football Safety App has been developed by Emile Heskey and a team of developers in Nottingham, to give people a safe and simple way to report abuse wherever it happens, whether inside stadiums, on public transport, at fan zones, in grassroots football or online.
The app also features a range of free rewards for users who download it, with many big brands jostling to sign on the dotted line and be involved.
Reports submitted through the app are reviewed by trained analysts inside a 24-hour control room, with credible incidents escalated to football clubs, safeguarding teams, online platforms and the police where appropriate.
LiveScore, which is headquartered in London, has become one of the biggest names in football technology, providing real-time sports results, fixtures, statistics and football updates to millions of supporters around the world.
The partnership represents a major step forward for the Football Safety App, which is backed by some of the biggest names in the game, including former England striker Emile Heskey, Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and safeguarding experts Paul Stewart and Peter Reid.
Emile Heskey, a director of the Football Safety App, said: “Football is loved by millions of people because of the passion, community and emotion it creates, but we cannot ignore the darker side of the game. Abuse has become too common and too easy for people to hide behind screens or crowds. Whether it is racism, sexism, threats towards players, abuse aimed at officials or unacceptable behaviour towards supporters, it has no place in football.
“This partnership with LiveScore is a huge moment because it means more people will have access to a tool that gives them a voice. The majority of fans are brilliant, but they are tired of seeing the game they love damaged by the actions of a minority. We want people to feel confident reporting abuse and knowing that their concerns will be taken seriously.”
The deal has been months in the making, with both organisations working together to ensure the partnership could deliver meaningful change for football supporters.
Dominic Vye, Marketing Director at LiveScore said: “LiveScore has always been committed to supporting football fans and improving their experience of the game. There is no place for abuse in football, whether that takes place online, in stadiums or anywhere else connected to the sport.
“The Football Safety App provides an important tool that helps supporters report unacceptable behaviour and gives the football community another way to challenge abuse. We are delighted to partner with the team and help make this technology available to a wider audience.”
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who supports the Football Safety App as an ambassador, said: “Football should be a place where people feel safe, whether they are watching from the stands, playing on the pitch or supporting their team online. During my career I saw first-hand how powerful football can be, but I also saw moments where behaviour crossed the line.”
“This app gives people a chance to speak up. It creates accountability and helps clubs understand what is happening around the game so they can take action.”
The Football Safety App was created in response to growing concerns over abuse across football and aims to provide the sport with the real time information it needs to identify problems and respond faster.
The platform allows users to make anonymous reports and creates valuable data that can help clubs identify patterns, repeat issues and areas where additional safeguarding measures may be required.
The app also supports matchday safety by allowing supporters to check in at participating grounds and access rewards for engagement, while clubs receive anonymised insights to strengthen their safeguarding processes.
Former England internationals Paul Stewart and Peter Reid support the safeguarding vision behind the platform, bringing decades of football experience and knowledge of the challenges facing the modern game.
Heskey added: “This is about protecting football for everyone. Players, officials, families and supporters should be able to enjoy the game without fear of abuse. Technology alone will not solve every problem, but giving people a trusted way to report incidents is a major step forward.
“Football has to come together and say enough is enough.”
The Football Safety App is free to download from the App Store and Google Play.
