Japanese Football Association Agrees on Sustainability Framework with UEFA Despite AFC Membership

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced a new sustainability cooperation agreement with the Japan Football Association (JFA), despite the latter being a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under this agreement, UEFA will share knowledge and experience to support JFA's sustainability initiative called "Asu-Pass!" UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin stated that sustainability in football must be clear, tangible, and action-focused, emphasizing the need to reduce consumption and waste while strengthening the game and its surroundings for future generations. He stressed that this goes beyond environmental protection to include people, health, education, and community welfare, as well as leveraging football's potential to create sustainable impact off the pitch. JFA President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto added that he is delighted to have reached this sustainability cooperation agreement with UEFA, noting that in the current global football landscape, how we address social issues such as climate change, human rights, discrimination, and protection has become as important as sports performance and business growth. Based on his international activities and dialogue with stakeholders from various countries, he is firmly convinced that sustainability is an essential issue when considering the future of football. JFA is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and both UEFA and JFA maintain regular contact with AFC to exchange views on sustainability. Through this new cooperation, JFA will adopt best practices from European football to strengthen its social and environmental efforts by sharing guidance with 47 regional member associations, partners, and the broader football community.