27 October: UEFA has opened applications for the third edition of its #FootbALL Awards, adding a new nutrition category supported by Lidl as part of the retailer’s expanding role in European football.
The awards, presented for the first time in 2023, recognize national associations, clubs, leagues and players for projects focused on inclusion, accessibility, anti-discrimination and wider social impact.
It provides a space for UEFA to reward football organizations outside of sporting achievements, rather than looking at what each competitor has done off the pitch to benefit one of those causes.
For 2027, UEFA has added a separate nutrition award open to schools and mainstream football organisations, with €15,000 of funding available for the three main projects.
The winner will receive €10,000, with €4,000 for second and €1,000 for third. Entrants must demonstrate that their initiative has been in operation for at least one year and has had a measurable impact on the local community.
The new category is another extension of UEFA’s ongoing relationship with Lidl and parent company Schwarz Group, which earlier this year became the governing body’s first strategic corporate partner.
This deal pushed the relationship into a new realm, giving Lidl the keys to UEFA’s grassroots and social programmes, while sister company PreZero focuses on waste reduction and circular economy projects.
Lidl is already the exclusive partner of UEFA’s Football in Schools programme, which operates across all 55 member associations, and also sponsors UEFA Grassroots and the Take Care health initiative.
The supermarket chain became a sponsor of UEFA’s men’s national team competitions until 2030 earlier this year, adding Euro 2028 to a portfolio that already includes women’s national team football and the Europa League and Conference League.
The wider #FootbALL Awards will once again cover four main categories: National Association, Club, League and Player, with winners selected by an independent jury including representatives from Football Supporters Europe, FIFPRO and Fare.
Applications close on November 30, after which UEFA will draw up shortlists ahead of the awards presentation at its next Respect Forum.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
