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In today’s football landscape, mobile apps are becoming one of the most valuable touchpoints between clubs and their supporters. No longer limited to fixtures and ticket downloads, the best apps now offer personalised experiences, direct communication, and reasons to engage far beyond matchday.
While the biggest clubs may dominate headlines, it’s often the mid-sized and ambitious organisations that are finding the most creative ways to connect. This article looks at five areas where club apps are making a difference — backed by recent examples from across Europe.
By Joachim Stelmach
Exclusive Content and Behind-the-Scenes Access
Legia Warsaw (Poland): The Polish champions use their official app to deliver content fans can’t get elsewhere. On matchdays, the app’s Match Center provides live coverage plus exclusive behind-the-scenes footage (e.g. locker room access and player tunnel videos) available only through the app.
A personalized home feed for logged-in users also offers exclusive club news and multimedia content, ensuring Legia fans feel like insiders all week long.
Galatasaray SK (Turkey): The Galatasaray app gives supporters special club videos and media that are not available on any other platform. Through the app, fans can watch exclusive interviews, training snippets, and documentary-style content produced by the club.
This behind-the-scenes access keeps fans engaged by letting them “peek backstage” into team life. Notably, Galatasaray’s app even teases content only accessible to registered members, incentivizing fans to sign up and log in for those exclusive videos and stories.
Personalized Notifications and Matchday Experience
Norwich City FC (England): In 2022 Norwich launched a “one-stop-shop” official app that delivers rich push notifications to keep fans up to date. Supporters can opt in to breaking news alerts so they’re first to know club updates.
On matchdays, the app sends personalized notifications like line-ups before kick-off, goal alerts, half-time scores, and full-time results. This tailored feed means fans follow games in real time even if they can’t watch live.
The app also introduced interactive matchday features – for example, a live stats center and a Man of the Match poll (letting fans vote, as noted later) – to make following a Norwich match via the app an immersive experience.
Borussia Dortmund (Germany): Dortmund’s app takes matchday engagement to the next level with an adaptive live experience. On game days, the app transforms into a real-time match hub with up-to-the-minute text commentary, photos, and videos.
Uniquely, users can select one of three modes – “in the stadium,” “at home,” or “on the move” – and the app will tailor the content and notifications to suit the context.
For example, a fan who selects “in stadium” might get navigational prompts, special in-venue offers, or muted goal notifications (since they’re watching live), whereas “at home” fans receive more detailed commentary and video highlights.
This personalization ensures every supporter gets a matchday experience suited to how they’re tuning in.
Gamification and Reward Systems
Galatasaray SK (Turkey): Galatasaray’s official app employs gamification to deepen fan involvement. The app hosts exclusive polls, quizzes and contests for supporters – for instance, trivia challenges about club history and vote-for-your-favorite kit designs.
Fans earn digital badges and rewards through their in-app activity, such as participating in polls or consuming content. These rewards might be loyalty points or unlockable perks (discounts, or invitations to special events), thereby incentivizing regular engagement.
By turning fandom into a game, Galatasaray keeps supporters coming back to the app to compete with fellow fans and earn recognition.
The Galatasaray app isn’t limited to football — it also highlights the club’s other sports sections, from basketball to volleyball, reflecting its broader identity as a multi-sport institution. We explored this theme in more detail in a previous article, available here.
Rangers FC (Scotland): The Glasgow club introduced a prediction game called “Rangers Picks” in its official app, adding a competitive edge to each matchday.
Before games, fans use the app to predict outcomes (like scorelines or first goal scorer), and those who play have a chance to win real prizes, such as a share of £1,000 each match. This real-money reward system – implemented in partnership with gaming firm Low6 – has driven up engagement, as thousands of Rangers fans submit picks and vie for the top scores.
In addition, the Rangers app offers other contests and prize draws exclusively for app users. By blending gaming with tangible rewards, Rangers effectively keeps fans interacting with the club app throughout the season.
Integrated Ticketing, Merchandise, and Cashless Stadium Experience
RCD Espanyol (Spain): Espanyol’s mobile app has made its home ground (Stage Front Stadium) Spain’s first cashless stadium. All matchday transactions – from ticket scans at the turnstile to buying a drink – can be done via the app.
Fans can enter the venue by displaying a digital season ticket on their phone (no physical card needed) and even transfer their ticket to a friend through the app with a few taps. Once inside, supporters use the in-app wallet to order food and merchandise without queuing, with cashless payment at concession stands.
The app also integrates the club’s online store, so fans can shop for Espanyol gear in-app and either have it delivered or ready for pickup. By consolidating tickets, payments, and shopping, Espanyol’s app creates a seamless, cash-free fan experience from home to the stadium seat.
This video illustrates how a mobile ticket, transferred via the club’s app, is used to access the stadium.
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands): In 2025 PSV unveiled a revamped app that serves as a true digital wallet and match companion for fans. Through the app, season ticket holders can load their season passes onto their phone and use mobile QR codes to enter Philips Stadium, as part of a new “Digital Access” pilot program. This means no more plastic cards – the app becomes the ticket.
Fans can also easily forward their match tickets to a friend or put them up for resale if they can’t attend, all within the app interface. On the commerce side, PSV’s app provides one-tap access to the club’s ticketing system and online PSV FANstore, allowing supporters to buy extra match tickets or order merchandise directly from their mobile.
The integration of profile management, ticket purchases, and shopping in one place exemplifies how a mid-tier club can use its app to offer a cashless, convenient matchday – from traveling to the stadium to coming home with new club gear.
This powerful digital experience was developed in collaboration with Azerion, a company that provides one of the most comprehensive fan apps and single sign-on solutions for clubs, leagues, and federations. Their platform includes — but is not limited to — integrated ticketing, identity-based access, minigames, gamification, and loyalty features. Azerion is already working with more than 30 clubs and leagues across Europe.
Fan Community and Social Interaction Features
Real Sociedad (Spain): The Basque club has focused on building a sense of community through its new Realzale fan app ecosystem.
A highlight is the Fan Wall, a digital gallery that showcases content by the fans, for the fans. Supporters anywhere in the world can post their photos, videos, and messages on social media with a club-designated hashtag, and the club aggregates the best of this content onto the Fan Wall in the official app/website.
This feature unites the fan base by displaying their passion in one place – for example, images of fans celebrating a goal from their living rooms, or congratulatory messages to a player – creating a virtual community bulletin board.
By actively sharing fan-generated content, Real Sociedad’s app makes supporters feel recognized and connected with one another, not just with the club.
Norwich City FC (England): Norwich’s app encourages two-way interaction and a communal fan voice through features like the Player of the Match poll.
After each game, app users can vote for their man of the match, and the results are shared as the “fans’ choice” honoree. This simple feature gives supporters a say and stimulates debate – thousands of fans participate, discussing performances and rallying behind their picks.
The app also integrates social media and media content (highlights, interviews) in a way that fans can comment on posts and share them, extending the conversation.
While not a massive club, Norwich has leveraged its app to foster fan community by making supporters an active part of club traditions (like post-game awards) and by delivering content that fans can discuss and share together.
Built with Blocksport: Apps That Go Beyond the Matchday
Qarabağ FK (Azerbaijan) & OH Leuven (Belgium): Both clubs have partnered with Blocksport, an FBIN collaborator, to develop advanced mobile applications that significantly enhance fan engagement.
Qarabağ FK’s app offers live match statistics, real-time game data, fan chats, club news, and a digital store for exclusive merchandise. Notably, it incorporates a Web3-ready loyalty program, allowing fans to manage Qarabağ tokens and participate in NFT-based games, fostering a deeper connection with the club.
Similarly, OH Leuven’s app provides live match updates, unique statistics, and a fully integrated ticketing experience. It also features a cashless payment system, enabling fans to manage transactions within the stadium seamlessly. The app’s gamification elements, including fan missions and leaderboards, have led to high engagement rates, with 94% of users starting fan missions and 97% earning fan points.
These initiatives exemplify how mid-sized clubs can leverage mobile technology to create immersive and interactive experiences, strengthening their relationship with supporters.
Want to dive deeper?
Watch the panel discussion featuring Anar Hajiyev (Head of Media, Qarabağ FK) and Maarten Thibault (Marketing & Media Manager, OH Leuven), moderated by Vladimir Liulka (CEO, Blocksport). The session was recorded live at the FBIN Commercial Excellence Summit in Budapest, presented by Opta by Stats Perform.
Key Takeaways
Club apps are evolving into engagement platforms, offering far more than just fixtures and news. Exclusive content keeps fans coming back, especially when it’s only available to registered users. Personalized notifications and matchday modes create tailored experiences that reflect how and where fans follow the game. Gamification and rewards systems increase repeat usage and foster a sense of fun and recognition. Integrated ticketing, shopping, and cashless services turn the app into a matchday essential. Community features and interactive polls help fans feel involved, heard, and part of something bigger. Even mid-sized clubs can innovate effectively, using focused app strategies to drive real fan engagement.
Conclusion
Mobile apps are no longer just digital accessories — they’re central to how clubs connect with fans in real time, build loyalty, and stay relevant in a fast-changing landscape. As these examples show, you don’t need to be one of Europe’s wealthiest clubs to create meaningful digital experiences.
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Looking for more insights into how football clubs are innovating off the pitch? Explore our latest articles.
