UEFA and the Japanese Football Association (JFA) agreed this week upon a new sustainability protocol agreement, aligning with both organisations’ long term goals.
An inter-continental partnership
Sustainability is an unavoidable, essential factor to consider as the beautiful game continues to grow across communities worldwide.
So when two governing bodies like UEFA and the JFA – who both already hold their own sustainability initiatives – agree to share, support and guide mutual growth, the implications are immensely promising.
“Sustainability in football must be clear, practical and action-oriented,” said UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin, via official press release.
“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.”
Furthermore, JFA President, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, also highlighted the undeniable potential born from football’s global powe to bring about genuine, positive changes to the wider population.
“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.”
“In JFA’s growth strategy for 2026 to 2031, we have positioned sustainability as one of our three ‘beams’. Under our social programme, Asu-pass!, we are advancing initiatives centred on five key areas: planet, people, well-being, education and community,” Miyamoto continued.
The responsibility of all
With 250 million players in association football, and total fanbases encompassing 4-5 billion people, football truly is the world’s game.
But despite the pride behind this affectionate nickname, there must also be an awareness of the game’s resulting impact.
Because if football touches the lives of 5 billion people, the policies and plans in place must focus on sustaining, supporting and growing everyone.
UEFA’s Sustainability Strategy 2030 seeks to drive positive change through focusing on the sport’s wider impact, long-term investment and objectives, and working as a collective unit.
JFA’s Asu-pass! also builds on the JFA philosophy of enriching societies through the widespread love of football. Thus, by partnering with UEFA and creating a platform for sharing expertise and values, communities across both regions are set for a promising future.
“Together, through football, we want to contribute to a better society and a brighter future,” stated Miyamoto, underlining exactly what this alliance between UEFA and JFA is all about.
