Intelligent testing and effective education reinforce UEFA’s commitment to clean sport

We are committed to protecting the integrity of European football, delivering a robust and transparent anti-doping programme across our club and national team competitions.

As we prepare for the kick-off of the 2025/26 campaign, we reflect on the previous 12 months in which we collected more than 3,400 samples, culminating in a clean UEFA Women's EURO 2025 that reported no adverse analytical findings on any of the samples we collected.

However, our approach is about more than just testing. Anti-doping starts with education and awareness – last season, we launched a new digital education platform that offers our national associations a wide range of anti-doping resources, while ICT upgrades have also improved operational efficiency and data security.

Anti-doping testing at UEFA Women’s EURO 2025

Doping control was in operation at all 31 matches in Switzerland, but the work began far earlier.

Communication with participating national associations kicked off in December 2024, ensuring teams' medical and support staff were aligned with UEFA’s standards and procedures well before the tournament began.

We worked closely with national anti-doping organisations (NADOs) and FIFA in the lead-up to the finals to coordinate testing, ensuring comprehensive coverage and timely analysis throughout the season.

Aitana Bonmatí with anti-doping officials for routine testing at UEFA Women's EURO 2025UEFA via Getty Images

During the tournament, all samples were analysed at a laboratory in Lausanne within 48 hours, allowing for player eligibility to be confirmed well before each match. Independent experts also did prompt analysis of player’s biological passports so that UEFA could make sure that all testing and analysis recommendations were followed up during the tournament. In total, 125 urine samples and 12 blood samples were collected, with no adverse analytical findings.

Intelligent testing throughout the 2024/25 season

Beyond our international tournaments, we have reaffirmed our dedication to protecting the integrity of football through an intelligent and targeted approach to testing.

Central to this strategy is the use of comprehensive risk assessments, which guide where, when and who to test. This data-driven method not only enhances the effectiveness of testing but also ensures resources are used efficiently, reinforcing our commitment to clean sport and fair play across all levels of competition.

Education for all: information shared with 55 national associations

UEFA's new digital education platform for national associations offers a suite of resources including presentations, videos and a newly developed educator handbook. This intuitive guide equips educators with interactive tools to deliver engaging and impactful learning experiences, which has been well received as associations ensure players understand the anti-doping programme before they step onto the pitch.

Players attend an anti-doping integrity session during the UEFA Under-21 EURO 2025 UEFA via Getty Images

At the UEFA Under-21 EURO in Slovakia, all 16 teams received tailored integrity sessions covering anti-doping and anti-match-fixing topics. These sessions were delivered directly by UEFA educators, reaching players at a pivotal early stage in their careers.