Co-funded by the European Union, the project brings together heavyweights such as Real Betis Balompié, FC Porto, and TSG Hoffenheim to establish new standards for the industry.

A Crucial Summit in Thessaloniki

On 13 January, the GARFIELD Steering Committee convened for its third meeting at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium, hosted by Aris Thessaloniki FC. The session focused on the impending Sustainability Corporate Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Union’s new Omnibus I package.

A primary concern for the committee is the EmpCo Directive (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition), which will require member states to implement laws against unsubstantiated environmental claims by March 2026. Fausto Scaldaferri, sustainability expert for Real Betis, worked alongside partners to identify capacity needs, ensuring football clubs are prepared for these strict new regulations.

Integrity as the Core of Communication

The challenges of sustainability were further dissected during the Conference Sport and Sustainability held in April 2026 at the University of Bern. Chaired by Pascal Stegmann, the session “From Talk to Trust” addressed the “double-edged sword” of climate communication.

Argyro Elisavet Manioli of the University of Bergamo highlighted a vital shift in perspective:

“Greenwashing should not be viewed solely as an environmental issue, but as a broader integrity crisis.”

Manioli argued that sustainability and integrity are inseparable; if communication misrepresents or obscures reality, it leads to a “lasting reputational damage and erosion of stakeholder trust”. Claire Poole, CEO of Sport Positive, added that:

“Most organisations are not deliberately trying to mislead. Greenwashing can happen unintentionally when complex sustainability work is simplified for audiences. The challenge is that intent does not eliminate impact.”

Practical Tools for Professional Clubs

To move beyond rhetoric, the GARFIELD project is developing a suite of practical resources designed to align club actions with their public claims. These tools, which will soon be made public, include:

• A greenwashing risk analysis tool and dedicated guidelines.
• An ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) indicator monitoring tool.
• A football-specific materiality analysis tool to help organisations prioritise their environmental impact.

The project partners—coordinated by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies—are also planning a series of podcasts and webinars to support transformational change across the sector. As the meeting in Greece demonstrated, the goal is not silence, but “communicating more responsibly” by grounding every claim in verifiable evidence.

As regulation tightens and stakeholder expectations continue to rise, football has a choice. It can continue to rely on narrative-led sustainability, or it can embrace a more rigorous, accountable approach.

Projects like GARFIELD suggest the latter is not only possible—but already underway.