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“We are a team based on diversity”

Women’s and men’s diversity matchdays looking to set a trend.

Das Trikot des VfL Wolfsburg zum Vielfaltsspieltag wird von drei Personen gezeigt.

VfL Wolfsburg are preparing to celebrate their seventh diversity matchday. For the women’s home game against RB Leipzig on Monday 11 March (kick-off: 19.30 CET) at the AOK Stadion and the men’s match on Saturday 16 March (kick-off: 15.30 CET) against FC Augsburg at the Volkswagen Arena, the She-Wolves and the Wolves will be wearing a diversity jersey as a symbol of VfL’s various social activities. The 2024 diversity matchdays will form part of the “International weeks against racism“.

“Because it doesn’t matter where you come from”

With this year’s slogan being “We are Team Diversity – because it doesn’t matter where you come from”, the Green-and-Whites are looking to take a particularly strong stance against racism and right-wing extremism. The diversity jerseys are a visible sign and will be part of the focus, with the Volkswagen logo featuring prominently in rainbow colours. The sleeve partners are also on board this year, with “Dermaroller – the original” (for the She-Wolves) and Linglong Tire (for the Wolves) adding colour to their logos for the diversity matchday. “Diversity is an indispensable criterion for success in football,” said VfL Managing Director Marcel Schäfer. “We don’t care where you come from or where you were born. Anyone who identifies with our aims and our values and who wants to play for VfL is part of the team. This is the basis that should apply to our society, and that is why at VfL, we take a clear stance against hatred, racism and right-wing extremism.”

We don’t care where you come from or where you were born. Anyone who identifies with our aims and our values and who wants to play for VfL is part of the team. This is the basis that should apply to our society, and that is why at VfL, we take a clear stance against hatred, racism and right-wing extremism.
VfL Managing Director Marcel Schäfer

Long tradition

VfL Wolfsburg’s commitment against right-wing extremism has a long-standing tradition. Back in 2001, the club organised a “The Wolves say no to xenophobia" event featuring a five-kilometre walk through the city centre. Since then, the Green-and-Whites have run a number of internal and external projects to fight racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination. As recently as winter 2023, the club paid a visit to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen as part of their cooperation with the memorial committee.

With VfL’s fan support committee’s watchword being “You only see what you know – so take a good look!”, member Michael Schrader has been training temporary staff in various departments as well as stewards since 2012 on identifying extreme right-wing behaviour and clothing. VfL have also run a range of workshops for school-children in the region, including “Wolfsburg Schools for diversity” and “Meet a Jew”.

There will be more information on how to buy the jersey in the coming days.

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