From tackling discrimination to welcoming stadiums to sustainability. Our report from UEFA Respect Forum 25 | OneFootball

Sustainability in its broadest sense—from economic aspects to issues of social equality and inclusion, all the way to ecological and environmental matters—was the focus of the UEFA Respect Forum 2025 held at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, attended by over 260 participants including industry professionals, managers from confederations, clubs, federations, leagues, global (United Nations) and European institutions, commercial sponsors, NGOs, and media representatives.

It must be clarified right away that this was not a showcase event where prominent figures (among the attendees was also former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta) discuss issues that are somewhat detached from the realities experienced daily by European football fans and clubs.

That’s because for UEFA, sustainability is a tangible and concrete concept, with immediate direct consequences for all stakeholders working together to build a specialized community investing in and promoting themes that can play a fundamental role in having a positive impact on civil society.

In practice, clubs had to appoint a Sustainability Manager to obtain a UEFA license for the 2025/2026 season (and therefore be eligible for European competitions), responsible for overseeing the implementation of sustainability policies and measures, and for developing a sustainability strategy with clear objectives, KPIs, and measurable targets for 2030.

Leading operations during the UEFA Respect Forum 2025 was Michele Uva, a manager whose career began in volleyball (he was also president of the Women’s Volleyball League) and continued in football with roles at clubs (Parma and Lazio) and institutions from the FIGC to Serie A. Since 2021, he has been the director of UEFA’s sustainability division. In his opening remarks, Uva emphasized the need to accelerate the inclusion of sustainability principles into the DNA of European football.

Michele Uva (UEFA photo)\

There’s also a significant upside to adopting sustainability policies, as explained by both UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister and Cristina Saccà, European Senior Vice-President of Mastercard for consumer marketing and sponsorships. Commercial partners and businesses are increasingly interested in collaborating with institutions (sports and otherwise) to identify shared values in this field, highlighting the growing strategic importance of sustainability.

The event continued with insights into best practices from other major sports organizations and institutions, particularly the contributions of Ellen Jones, ESG lead at Formula 1, Annie Horn, Director of Social Responsibility and Sustainability at the NBA, and Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, Business Engagement Lead at UN Climate Change. Filippo Veglio, who heads the sustainability team under Uva at UEFA, also spoke, reiterating that for UEFA, sustainability is a concrete journey driven by a clear strategy.

In addition to the mandatory appointment of a Sustainability Manager, from the 2025-26 season, federations and clubs seeking participation in European competitions were required to develop strategies across five key areas, each supported by a specific policy to ensure proper implementation. These are:

Working Groups: Concrete Dialogue Between Experts and Stakeholders

The highlight of the two-day Zurich event was the so-called working groups, groups of about twelve people where delegates spent an entire afternoon discussing and producing proposals on a specific topic.

Specifically, the 17 groups focused on:

In particular, Calcio e Finanza had the honor of being invited to participate in a group tackling one of modern football’s most delicate issues: racism and discrimination within the European football landscape. A further confirmation that for UEFA too, the financial, social, and environmental sustainability dynamics of football are essential to making the sport more resilient and a positive engine for change. And thanks to solid economic foundations, the power of the world’s most popular sport can help tackle huge issues and historic challenges such as all forms of discrimination, starting with those based on ethnicity and gender.

The group was chaired by Piara Powar, Executive Director of FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe), assisted by Presilia Mpanu-Mpanu (UEFA SES Expert) and included:

Piara Powar (UEFA photo)

Focus on Racism: Analysis, Testimonies, and Proposals from the Dedicated Group

Within the group, several key topics were discussed.

It began with identifying the obstacles in fighting discrimination, such as the lack of dialogue and understanding among fans, the isolation of some supporters (especially minorities) from dominant groups, lack of empathy, and political involvement.

This led to a discussion on how to use football as a tool for social change, emphasizing the influence of key players within their local communities. One example is the significant impact of Mohamed Salah on the image of the North African community in England and specifically in Liverpool. The education of players themselves was also discussed, as they can become symbols in the fight against discrimination and play a role in club responsibilities.

Another key topic was how to engage fans and supporters on these issues and thus promote responsibility, teach ethics, and encourage inclusivity both on and off the field.

Presilia Mpanu-Mpanu (UEFA photo)\

Within this context, three challenges were identified.

The first focused on removing barriers to action, including lack of lived experience with minority groups, tribalism in football (especially in the stands), and how to prevent incidents outside of clubs’ control.

The second challenge involved using football for social change: harnessing the game’s influence, the role of players and clubs, and the importance of education. Lastly, the involvement of fans: the power of supporters to shape narratives, the role of ultras, and the need for awareness and responsibility within minority groups regarding their influence.

From here, three key points emerged:

The Cultural Power of European Football According to Enrico Letta

The following day, the forum opened with remarks by former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, now President of the Jacques Delors Institute and Dean of one of Europe’s top universities, the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs.

The former premier pointed out how football is a powerful asset of cultural influence for Europe, both for its internal challenges (such as immigration and minority discrimination) and as a vehicle for exporting the values of the Old Continent worldwide.

Enrico Letta (UEFA photo)\

A world that, compared to the 1960s (the boom years), now sees the population of the Old Continent declining disproportionately. Not only are some European countries facing demographic decline, but in a world where the overall population has increased significantly in recent decades, European citizens now represent a much smaller proportion due to the rise of the Asian and African populations.

Hence the call for European nations to act together in the face of the great geopolitical giants. And in this context, nothing unites the continent’s various identities quite like the passion for football.

Then, after the presentation of the 2025 Women’s Euro which will take place in Switzerland and its ESG strategy, UEFA launched its new platform FootbALL, which through a dedicated app and website will become a hub offering news, programs, events, and videos on social topics.

The event then moved on to the awarding of the FootbALL Award. The winners were selected by the UEFA Human Rights Steering Group composed of Alessandro Costacurta, Paul Elliott, Ronan Evain, Darren Lewis, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Levan Kobiashvili, Mbo Mpenza, Nadia Nadim, Barbara Stefanelli, Bibiana Steinhaus, and Patrick Vieira.

And the awardees were:

(photo UEFA)

The event then concluded with remarks from host Michele Uva, who noted how the Respect Forum proved to be an event that demonstrated how the football community, without exclusions, can continue to be a driving force for positive change in our society. “The Forum was a collaborative laboratory of ideas, solutions, and alliances, and an important testimony to the fact that sustainability is not just an abstract concept, but a concrete commitment: a commitment to harness the global reach and popularity of football to promote fairness, equality, protection, inclusiveness, and unity,” Uva explained, thanking all 260 participants. “Their presence reflects the richness and diversity of the football ecosystem and our shared commitment to shaping its future responsibly,” the UEFA executive concluded.