MADRID — Atletico Madrid focused on promoting inclusion by organizing activities for fans with disabilities during their Champions League match against Lille on Wednesday.

The club, alongside its partners, aimed to host “the most inclusive Champions League match ever” and hoped to surpass the record of 1,740 disabled fans set by Real Betis during a Spanish league match against Valladolid last year, as reported by UEFA.

Prior to the game at the Metropolitano stadium, one of the key activities was an exhibition showcasing wheelchair soccer.

Ignacio Sanchez Heras, a visually impaired attendee, expressed his gratitude, stating, “It’s been a nice initiative. This is helping make the other fans aware of the importance of inclusion. Hopefully, they will do this more often.”

As of now, Atletico Madrid has not disclosed the exact number of disabled fans in attendance. The club acknowledged the record but emphasized that their primary goal was to initiate a movement to enhance accessibility for disabled supporters at sports venues.

This match followed a report from the advocacy organization Level Playing Field, which highlighted the challenges faced by disabled fans in various away stadiums across Europe. The report noted specific complaints about wheelchair users being seated next to home team supporters, which raises concerns about comfort and safety.

To encourage attendance, Atletico provided tickets at reduced prices for fans with disabilities and collaborated with fan organizations to spread awareness of the event. Fans were required to present either their disability card or a certificate of disability at the time of purchasing tickets.