Corporate Social Responsibility in Football Associations : UEFA, DFB and the Regional Level in Germany

Abstract

This Open Access book examines how football’s governing bodies translate their public CSR commitments into everyday practice. Focusing on UEFA, the German Football Association (DFB) and a representative regional federation, it traces CSR from continental headquarters to local grassroots, revealing where lofty pledges of sustainability, diversity and community engagement prosper—and where they falter. Drawing on fourteen semi-structured interviews with senior officials and practitioners, the study exposes a persistent gap between externally promoted initiatives and the internal processes that should sustain them. It shows that CSR only achieves lasting impact when it is embedded in strategic planning, aligned with core football operations and subjected to rigorous monitoring. By presenting a grounded framework and practical guideline for associations at every tier, the author offers both scholars and decision-makers a roadmap for moving beyond performative gestures towards genuinely responsible governance in the world’s most influential sport.