From ambition to impact: evolving the UEFA sustainability strategy 

Since its launch in 2021, Strength through Unity has guided us in advancing sustainability as a core responsibility in European football, embedding social responsibility, environmental stewardship and good governance across the game and our activities.

This progress demonstrates that the sport is increasingly willing – and able – to move beyond making commitments towards delivering tangible impact. It is in this context that we have reviewed and upgraded the strategy to accelerate this shift, and to respond to this evolution with renewed focus on measurable, comparable and credible outcomes.

"Our direction is clear. Football has an unmatched ability to mobilise people, amplify messages and accelerate change," said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.

"With one of the largest communities in Europe, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to use that reach for lasting positive impact. That is why we are updating our sustainability strategy: to reflect new trends, strengthen our approach, and ensure our commitments remain relevant, robust and measurable."

Michele Uva, UEFA executive director of social and environmental sustainability, added: "Upgrading Strength through Unity is our chance to ensure we translate ambition into tangible impact. Our aim is to build on the significant progress already delivered and reinforce our focus on execution, measurement and accountability."

Building on solid foundations

Fulfilling the commitment we made in 2021, we upgraded our sustainability strategy in the second half of 2025, assessing its effectiveness and analysing the lessons from the targeted measures and investments undertaken over the past five years.

As part of the process, we conducted a survey with more than 200 stakeholders – including national associations, leagues, clubs, commercial partners and civil society organisations – to gather their perspectives on our approach to sustainability and its effectiveness, helping us shape the strategy’s review and maximise its value.

This framework has helped us achieve concrete progress, with almost €90 million invested in sustainability initiatives, supporting 590 projects across our member associations. We have also mobilised a community of 600 expert sustainability managers across the European football community, supported by dedicated guidelines and toolkits.

Sustainability is also fully integrated into our own operations, with all UEFA events requiring dedicated strategies and transparent post-event reporting. That approach has resulted in more than 2,000 sustainability actions across our competitions since 2021.

The upgraded strategy retains its original vision towards 2030 and beyond, while sharpening its focus on delivery. At its core remain 11 interconnected policies, backed by specific focus areas, targets and KPIs, structured around three overarching ambitions: delivering social impact, respecting the environment and championing responsible management in football events and infrastructure.