Guided by the lessons and ambitions of UEFA’s Football Sustainability Strategy 2030, the partnership will see European football’s governing body share expertise, frameworks and practical guidance to support the JFA’s own sustainability initiative, Asu-Pass!. The agreement reflects a growing recognition across world football that sustainability is no longer a peripheral issue, but a strategic priority shaping the future of sport.

From Strategy to Practical Action

Rather than focusing solely on commercial growth or on-pitch performance, the collaboration places sustainability, social responsibility and long-term community impact at the centre of football governance. Climate action, human rights, safeguarding, education and community development are all embedded within the agreement.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin stressed that sustainability in football must move beyond ambition statements and deliver meaningful, measurable action.

“Sustainability in football must be clear, practical and action-oriented: using less, wasting less, and leaving the game and all around it stronger for the next generation,” said Čeferin. “It is about protecting the environment, but also about people – their health, education and communities – and about using football’s reach to create lasting impact beyond the pitch.”

He also highlighted why Japan was viewed as a natural partner for UEFA’s expanding international sustainability agenda.

“Japanese football reflects values that are essential to sustainability: respect, discipline, collective responsibility and care for the wider community,” he added. “Through this protocol of cooperation, we want to turn our shared values into practical action, learn from one another, and create lasting benefit for football and for society.”

JFA Embeds Sustainability Into National Strategy

For the JFA, the agreement aligns closely with its long-term strategic direction. Sustainability has now been positioned as one of the three core “beams” within the organisation’s official growth strategy for 2026–2031.

Under its Asu-Pass! social action programme, the JFA is focusing on five key themes: planet, people, well-being, education and community. The organisation hopes to use UEFA’s experience and resources to accelerate sustainability adoption throughout Japanese football, including across its 47 regional prefectural associations, commercial partners and grassroots communities.

JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto described sustainability as an increasingly indispensable issue for football globally.

“In the global football community today, how we address social issues – such as climate change, human rights, discrimination, and safeguarding – has become a crucial theme, alongside athletic performance and business growth,” said Miyamoto. “Through this partnership with UEFA, we hope to further develop Japan’s unique form of sustainability while learning from leading global expertise and practices.”

Building a Global Sustainability Network

The cooperation will include workshops, sustainability toolkits, materials and guidance from UEFA, alongside support in identifying key performance indicators and strengthening governance structures. The agreement also maintains close collaboration with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), ensuring sustainability knowledge and best practice continue to be shared across regions.

The partnership is also another indication of UEFA’s increasingly global sustainability outlook. Recent years have seen the organisation deepen collaboration with governing bodies and confederations outside Europe, recognising that many of football’s biggest sustainability challenges — from climate resilience and inclusion to governance and social impact — require international cooperation rather than isolated action.

Within the forthcoming Global Sustainable Sport SPI Index, UEFA is set to feature among the Top 10 most purposeful sports organisations in the world whilst the Japanese Football Association will be amongst the Top 100. UEFA’s continued expansion of international sustainability partnerships, combined with its work around governance, social responsibility and environmental strategy, has positioned the organisation as one of the leading drivers of sustainability within global sport.

As football continues to evolve beyond the boundaries of competition alone, the UEFA-JFA alliance demonstrates how governing bodies are increasingly viewing sustainability not simply as a reporting exercise, but as a long-term framework for strengthening communities, protecting the environment and ensuring football’s future relevance and resilience worldwide.