On 28 May 2026, the Committee on Safety and Security at Sports Events (Saint-Denis Committee) adopted a new Recommendation - the T-S4 Recommendation (2026)2 - providing a comprehensive blueprint to support States and sports organisations in strengthening the safety and service tenets at football matches and other sports events.
This Recommendation marks an important step towards rebalancing the three pillars of the Saint-Denis Convention – Safety (health and well-being), Security (policing) and Service (welcoming) - by fostering an integrated multi-agency and human-rights-based approach to managing football matches and other sports events. Its objective is clear: to ensure that every person, regardless of their background or circumstances, can attend and enjoy sporting events in a welcoming environment that is safe, accessible, and respectful of human rights. Beyond the policy framework, the Recommendation is already inspiring specific actions at national, regional and local levels.
From Recommendation to Action: countries begin implementing new training initiatives
This Recommendation encourages its customization and implementation at the national level. Following the Balance S4 training workshops organised in Greece, Poland and Portugal during the European Union - Council of Europe joint project “Balance S4”, Belgium has now become the first country to officially integrate a dedicated Service pillar information session into the annual training programme for Safety Officers of the Royal Belgian Football Association. This important step demonstrates how the principles of the Saint-Denis Convention can be translated into practical tools and operational culture within sports organisations and public authorities.
To support further implementation, a practical “Balance S4 Train-the-trainer Toolkit” and Balance S4 e-course are available to all interested stakeholders upon request at: Resources. The Balance S4 Safety and Service Essentials and Balance S4 Guidelines package are designed to help countries, sports federations, clubs, public authorities and event organisers to strengthen the operational delivery of sporting events across Europe and beyond.
It's your turn to join this movement and organise sporting events that are more secure, truly safe, inclusive and welcoming for everyone!
