Carlsberg and Liverpool FC, alongside the British Deaf Association (BDA) taught fans to perform “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in BSL before the match against West Ham on February 28, 2026.
It marks the start of a commitment to train bar staff at Liverpool FC and select pub team members at 16 Greene King Sport pubs to communicate basic phrases in sign language.
Carlsberg will arrange BSL ‘Fan Interpreters’ at every Liverpool FC home game to translate pre-match announcements and “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.
Carlsberg and its long standing partner, Liverpool FC (LFC), are taking a significant step to ensure the electric atmosphere of Anfield Stadium is accessible to every supporter.
Recognising too many fans have been left on the sidelines of the match day experience, Carlsberg and Liverpool FC worked with the British Deaf Association (BDA) to teach fans at Anfield to perform the line "You’ll Never Walk Alone” in British Sign Language (BSL). The initiative turned the iconic anthem into a truly inclusive experience during the West Ham game on 28th February, which is also recognised as the club’s official ‘Red Together’ match, celebrating the club’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Research from Carlsberg highlights a significant inclusion gap in football, as 71% of Deaf and hard of hearing fans wish to participate in matchday chants but feel unable to do so. This lack of accessibility leads to a sense of isolation, with 78% of those affected feeling disconnected from the stadium atmosphere.
By missing out on the roar of the crowd and collective singing, these individuals are frequently deprived of the camaraderie and emotional highs that define the live sporting experience.
With two-thirds (60%) of Deaf and hard of hearing fans admitting that feeling excluded in pubs and fan zones has deterred them from attending live sports, the need for change is undeniable. Carlsberg is committed to bring more access to more of the best in football long after the final whistle on February 28th 2026.
Carlsberg and LFC are establishing a new standard by guaranteeing BSL translators for fans at every men’s and women’s home match after the West Ham game. Dubbed ‘Fan Interpreters’ they will sign the pre-match commentary and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” live, ensuring Deaf and hard of hearing fans don’t miss out on key elements of the game.
To combat the exclusion that 82% of Deaf and hard of hearing fans face during game days, Carlsberg has partnered with Greene King Sport and the BDA to provide basic sign language training to select team members in 16 Greene King Sport pubs across Merseyside. Pub management teams will learn key phrases related to customer service and ordering as part of a trial, such as:
"Hello" and "Please”
Key drink names and sizes (e.g., “pint”, “Carlsberg’)
Basic questions like "Are you paying by card?" and "Is everything okay?"
The trial started in Greene King Sport pub, the Endbutt, on 16 February, with the aim of training select pubs teams in 15 additional pubs across Merseyside by the end of the 2025/26 football season in May.
This work champions Carlsberg’s core principle that football's power lies in its collective passion. “One of the best parts of football is the shared roar and raw emotion, the spontaneous explosion of joy. It creates a feeling of belonging that unites millions,” said Lynsey Woods, Global Brand Director at Carlsberg.
“However, the roar is only truly collective when everyone has access to it. As a proud partner of Liverpool FC for over 30 years, we’ve been working together to make sure fans have the best experiences. That means helping to remove the barriers for those who miss out. By introducing sign language into the heart of Anfield, we are not just teaching signs; we are signing our commitment to a more inclusive, accessible game for everyone who bleeds Red. You could say, if Carlsberg did football anthems, this would be the best."
This sentiment was echoed by Rishi Jain, Director of Impact at Liverpool FC, who added: "Together with Carlsberg, we’re proud to deliver an initiative that truly lives up to everything that ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ means.
"By teaching fans at Anfield how to sign the anthem in British Sign Language, we wanted to give something back to our deaf and hard of hearing supporters and with the campaigns aim of ensuring that they feel more included in the matchday experience.
"This long-term commitment to BSL translators and wider supporter inclusion sits at the heart of our ongoing ‘Red Together’ strategy to make both our club accessible and inclusive to all, and its launch during our dedicated 2025/26 Red Together match makes it especially meaningful.”
Zoe Bowley, Managing Director of Greene King pubs added: “This is a powerful initiative by Carlsberg that we’re proud to support, which builds on our Customer Promise to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome in our pubs. Our pubs are spaces where everyone should feel they belong, and this BSL training is a vital step in ensuring every customer feels welcomed and understood at the bar. We are excited to have begun this trial at the Endbutt in Merseyside and to make a tangible difference to people’s experience when they visit the pub.”
This groundbreaking initiative is Carlsberg's powerful commitment to giving all fans more access to more of the best of football, moving beyond the pitch to build a genuinely inclusive global fan culture.
Notes to Editors
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1,250 football fans who are hard of hearing/deaf across the UK, Malaysia, India, Denmark, and Germany. Defined as those who have at least partial hearing loss – natural fallout on how severe their hearing loss is and who define themselves as a ‘football fan’ (English football, ‘soccer’). The data was collected between 10.12.2025 - 17.12.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
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