UEFA announces Haleon as the first-ever UEFA Medical Health Partner

UEFA has today announced a landmark multi-year scientific partnership with Haleon, appointing the global consumer health company as UEFA Medical’s first Health Partner.

The partnership brings together UEFA Medical’s expertise in football medicine and injury prevention with Haleon’s leadership in pain science and its established relationships with healthcare professionals to advance clinically informed, evidence-based approaches to football-related pain management. Through scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange, the two organisations will work to strengthen standards and guidance in pain management, helping to protect player health and support recovery across the world’s most played game. By combining their expertise, UEFA Medical and Haleon also aim to address the wider lack of clear, science-based guidance available beyond elite sport, generating and sharing evidence to support clinicians, teams and players at all levels of the game.

Additionally, the collaboration will include the development of expert reviewed educational initiatives, such as webinars and digital learning modules, designed to embed trusted, evidence led approaches to pain management into everyday clinical practice across Europe. A particular focus will be placed on topical first approaches informed by scientific evidence and relevant to football-related injuries.

UEFA’s chief of medical and anti-doping, Dr Zoran Bahtijarević, said: “This partnership with Haleon reflects our shared interest in advancing the scientific understanding of pain management in football. By working together on research and knowledge exchange, we have the opportunity to further develop evidence based guidance that supports clinicians and medical teams in their day to day practice. Strengthening the quality and clarity of scientific evidence remains central to UEFA Medical’s mission, and this collaboration provides a valuable framework to continue that work.”

Eran Gefen, VP and head of medical & scientific affairs, OTC, Haleon said: “Haleon’s role in this collaboration is to bring medical expertise that strengthens the scientific guidance available to healthcare professionals managing pain in active individuals. By combining Haleon’s trusted pain-relief expertise and portfolio of pain-relief and sensorial relief brands - recommended by consumers and healthcare professionals alike – with UEFA’s specialist knowledge, we can provide clearer, evidence informed advice that supports self-care, a safe return to movement and helps people choose pain solutions that are right for their needs.”

UEFA Medical and Haleon have already collaborated on scientific research supporting the use of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for early pain relief in sports injuries. This marks the first body of evidence developed through the partnership and provides a strong foundation for future guidance. The initiative builds on an existing relationship between UEFA Medical and Haleon, reinforcing a shared commitment to movement, sport and better everyday health.

About UEFA Medical 

UEFA Medical is responsible for protecting the health and safety of everyone involved in European football, setting mandatory medical standards for all UEFA competitions and more than 2,500 professional matches played across Europe each season. Its activities include developing and enforcing medical regulations, supporting education and knowledge-sharing among member associations and clubs, organising medical events and funding research on key topics in football medicine. UEFA Medical also leads public awareness initiatives and works continuously to ensure football medicine keeps pace with scientific and medical developments.

About Haleon

Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN) is a consumer company that is solely focused on better everyday health. Our people, our brands, our research, our investment and our innovation are aimed at improving the everyday health of consumers. Our product portfolio spans six major categories - Oral Health, Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS), Pain Relief, Respiratory Health, Digestive Health and Therapeutic Skin Health and Other. Our superior brands - such as Advil, Centrum, Otrivin, Panadol, parodontax, Polident, Sensodyne, Theraflu and Voltaren – are trusted by more than one billion consumers and are recommended by health professionals around the world.