Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
UEFA strengthened its circular economy practices during this season's four club finals by reducing waste and improving material recovery and reuse. This supports UEFA's sustainability strategy to create measurable, scalable systems for football’s environmental transition.
One major initiative repurposed event branding materials such as stadium signage, avoiding disposal. Over 25 tonnes of these materials were recycled and converted into training equipment for grassroots football across Europe, extending their value from elite competitions to community-level football.
UEFA's approach follows the 4R model—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover—urging associations, clubs, and venues to rethink everything from event materials to food and beverage systems. The high-profile finals serve as test cases for refining these principles before wider implementation.
Achieving zero waste sent to landfill was a key goal, accomplished at all final venues this season. Efforts included evaluating material choices, product lifespans, and logistics, resulting in improved sorting and recovery processes with stadium operators and suppliers.
UEFA’s partnership with PreZero is central to advancing and scaling these circular economy solutions across future events and supply chains.