In doing so, UEFA is positioning sustainability not as an add-on, but as a core component of governance, accountability and long-term decision-making in European football.

Why VSME? Materiality Over Complexity

UEFA’s decision to adopt VSME Option A reflects a deliberate focus on proportionality and materiality. While the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and ESRS frameworks are mandatory for large, listed companies in Europe, UEFA is not required to report against these.

The VSME provides a standardised set of sustainability indicators suitable for voluntary disclosure. UEFA’s adoption of the VSME Option A: Basic Module represents a foundational step toward enhanced transparency and the progressive development of a standard-aligned sustainability reporting system.

The VSME framework enables UEFA to disclose core sustainability information in a way that is consistent, verifiable and relevant to its operations and which are not fully covered by more complex standards such as ESRS or CSRD.

Importantly, UEFA has framed this as a foundational step, with plans to progress to the VSME Comprehensive Module in future reporting cycles, creating a structured pathway towards deeper, comparable disclosure year-on-year.

Social Investment: Protecting the Core of the Game

The social section of the report underlines the scale of UEFA’s commitment, with €13.0 million invested in sustainability initiatives during the 2024/25 season.

The strategy is organised around seven social priorities, including anti-racism, child and youth protection, refugee support and accessibility, each supported by defined KPIs.

Progress on child and youth protection stands out. By the end of the season, 95% of UEFA member associations had appointed a dedicated protection focal point, a 6% increase on previous reporting periods. In the digital space, UEFA’s online safety platform identified 1,182 abusive social media posts during the closing stages of the season, with around 80% successfully removed in collaboration with platforms

The report also highlights the launch of Take Care, a new wellbeing programme structured around six modules covering physical activity, mental health, nutrition, digital balance, road safety and substance awareness. Michele Uva, UEFA’s Executive Director of Social & Environmental Sustainability, summarised the approach succinctly:

“Sustainability starts with people. It means protecting rights and well-being, promoting inclusion and equality, and ensuring that everyone can take part in football safely and with dignity.”

Key social indicators (2024/25)

• Anti-racism: 157 matches monitored, resulting in 39 sanctions
• Accessibility: 100% of member associations now provide accessibility services at national team events
• Refugee support: Funding invested in 29 projects, representing a 64% increase since 2021/22

Environmental Action: From Measurement to Reduction

On the environmental side UEFA positions football as a “driver of reduction”, supported by robust emissions data and independently assured figures.

During the season, UEFA events generated 25,025 tCO₂e, while internal organisational activities accounted for 35,068 tCO₂e. Crucially, 100% of event bidding processes now include sustainability requirements, embedding environmental expectations from the earliest planning stages.

UEFA has committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, using 2024/25 as a new verified baseline, and achieving net-zero carbon by 2040.

Environmental highlights (2024/25)

• Renewable energy: 99% of electricity used at UEFA events came from renewable sources, up from 16% the previous season
• Circular economy: 60% of member associations are now embedding circular principles across events
• Sustainable transport: 80% of fans used public transport to reach UEFA finals

Leadership, Transparency and the Road Ahead

In his foreword, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin is unequivocal: “Sustainability must be one of the core principles guiding how we plan, deliver, and improve our work every day”.

By adopting the VSME standard, UEFA is not simply reporting on past performance—it is establishing a repeatable, comparable and assured reporting system that could set a benchmark for international sport. As UEFA prepares to expand its disclosures under the Comprehensive Module, the message to federations, leagues and clubs is clear: credible sustainability leadership now requires data, structure and accountability.

For the global sports industry, transparent, sustainable, reporting is no longer aspirational. It is rapidly becoming the baseline.