UEFA and EFC unite to accelerate sustainability in European football

UEFA and the European Football Clubs (EFC) have launched a joint Sustainability Cooperation Plan that puts social and environmental sustainability (SES) at the heart of European club football.

The plan, which covers the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons, treats sustainability as a strategic investment that protects and generates long-term value throughout the club football ecosystem.

How are UEFA and EFC working with clubs on sustainability?

UEFA and the EFC are now working directly with clubs to:

• Develop tailored sustainability strategies suited to specific national contexts
• Facilitate deeper engagement through three-way collaboration with national associations, domestic leagues and top division clubs. This builds on lessons learned from pilot projects in the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Romania and Austria
• Expand a network of dedicated sustainability managers across Europe
• Advocate on sustainability in football topics by participating in international conferences and stakeholder initiatives

How does club licensing support the cooperation plan?

Club licensing is a key driver. UEFA’s upgraded licensing provisions now encourage clubs to:

• Appoint dedicated social and environmental sustainability officers
• Create strategic frameworks for sustainability
• Implement policies covering sustainability topics such as equality and inclusion, anti-racism, child and youth protection, football for all abilities, and environmental protection

There is also ongoing dialogue within UEFA’s Club Licensing and Social and Environmental Sustainability (SES) Committees to ensure alignment and progress.

What educational support is available for clubs?

UEFA and the EFC have launched a compact SES course in partnership with the UEFA Academy, EFC Campus, and Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.

Additional educational support includes:

• Joint webinars offering practical tools and best practices
• Efforts to improve SES performance data for better transparency and reporting

What are the next steps?

UEFA and EFC are committed to rolling out the plan which raises the bar for European clubs of all sizes in how they implement all aspects of social and environmental sustainability.

A series of discussions involving several countries is scheduled for the latter part of 2025, as well as sustainability working group and committee meetings to refine technical details.

The collaborative spirit underpinning the UEFA-EFC cooperation plan will exert a lasting impact beyond the game, by reducing risks, building resilience and creating added value across club football.