How Udinese are putting UEFA sustainability guidance into action

Udinese Calcio’s Serie A clash with Cagliari next week will mark the start of a new initiative designed to test, measure and improve the home club’s sustainability practices.

Through ‘Play for Sustainability – Our Planet, Our Game’, Udinese will roll out a series of sustainability activities at the match, covering everything from renewable energy and waste management to responsible catering and accessibility, with fans encouraged to travel to Stadio Friuli by bicycle.

Our Football Event Sustainability Manual, compiled in collaboration with European Leagues, provided the framework for the initiative – from planning to post-event evaluation.

"This collaboration shows how the manual can be translated into meaningful results," said Filippo Veglio, UEFA's head of social and environmental sustainability. "Initiatives such as this are an opportunity to demonstrate that sustainability can be embedded into core matchday operations in a pragmatic and effective way. Udinese is setting a powerful example for the wider football community."

The Play for Sustainability initiative was presented alongside representatives from across Italian footballUdinese Calcio

Testing a model for sustainable matchdays

Far from a one-off campaign, Play for Sustainability has been conceived as a long-term, annual programme. Measuring impact – addressed in detail in the Football Event Sustainability Manual – is central to the initiative, with the 2026 edition being used to establish a benchmark.

"Play for Sustainability reflects how we believe a football club can create impact beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch," explained Udinese’s Magda Pozzo. "This is not about presenting one match as the solution, but about creating an annual commitment where we can test concrete actions, measure what works and continue to improve year after year."

The initiative builds on Udinese’s existing commitment to sustainability, which includes more than 2,400 solar panels on the roof of its stadium. It also complements Serie A’s Road to Zero sustainability programme, developed in collaboration with UEFA and aligned with our Strength Through Unity football sustainability strategy.

"We hope that Udinese’s example will be followed by many other clubs," said Ezio Simonelli, the president of Serie A. "Sustainability is a challenge that football must address together through concrete and increasingly ambitious actions that engage the entire community."