UEFA Sustainability Strategy: Strength Through Unity
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Our roadmap to building a more sustainable future for European football.
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Why does UEFA have a football sustainability strategy?
Like all of society, the European football community, including our member associations, fan groups, clubs and leagues, faces ever more significant challenges in the field of human rights and the environment. As one of continent's largest communities – about 90 million people play football in Europe – we are convinced that our sport can help tackle these issues and drive positive, sustainable change.
"Inspire, activate and accelerate collective action to generate social impact and respect for the environment across European football."
But success requires all football stakeholders to work in unison, according to a common agenda, language and approach. As European football's governing body, it is our job to set an example that inspires and mobilises everyone who loves the game, building consensus around a united approach that unlocks the game's power for good.
Why has UEFA upgraded the football sustainability strategy in 2026?
Our 2021 strategy, Strength Through Unity, created a common framework linking football to responsibility, credibility and long‑term value. By 2025, the football ecosystem had matured, and sustainability had become an expected standard across Europe. The upgrade of the strategy reflects this evolution.
The focus now shifts from commitments to measurable outcomes, ensuring that football’s social, environmental and governance contributions are tangible, comparable and credible.
This new phase emphasises impact performance built on three pillars:
- System integrity to safeguard trust and fairness
- Targeted capital allocation to maximise social return
- Contextual relevance to respect Europe’s diversity while applying shared standards
Looking beyond 2030, the upgraded strategy reinforces football’s long‑term value creation by strengthening institutions, reducing systemic risks and ensuring the game remains socially relevant for future generations.
What is UEFA's football and sustainability mission?
Our missions is to inspire, activate and accelerate collective action to generate social impact and respect for the environment in the context of European football. We lead by example, implementing all of our activities and events according to UEFA's official values and principles of sustainability.
Our efforts to ensure European football leaves a positive legacy are guided by 11 policies and five areas of action.
What guides our approach to sustainability?
Our approach is grounded in a set of convictions that underpin UEFA's Football Sustainability Strategy 2030.
Focus on football and its impact on society
Working with our partners and other institutions, we use football's influence and voice to raise awareness of priority issues that are most relevant to European football. Cooperation is based on common goals and trust.
Investment in football's future
The integration of sustainability goals into UEFA's core activities, in particular the organisation of our competitions, represents an investment in football’s future prosperity. We collaborate with all our host cities, partners and other stakeholders to source, experiment and roll out product and service innovations.
Transparent, long-term objectives
We are committed to implementing a long-term plan up to 2030 and beyond, reporting on our progress each year. Trust and transparency are vital ingredients for successful collaboration with our stakeholders.
United team
We work as one team with a common language and approach. By finding synergies with our partners and stakeholders, we can do more together than if we work alone.