Our mission

GOALS is a project funded by EU Commission through the ERASMUS+ Sport Programme, that aims at improving the environmental governance in football organizations.

The project is aimed primarily at women and youth football teams with the aim of improving the environmental impact of clubs and football matches. GOALS aims to increase their environmental awareness and promote the adoption of more environmentally friendly behaviors. The project also intends to strengthen cooperation between institutions and sport organizations boosting the adoption and the implementation of environmental governance actions.

To these ends, GOALS will develop organizational tools for the three National Football Associations involved – Romanian, Portuguese and Kosovar – to improve their environmental governance. The project also focuses on operational governance through the involvement of at least 9 grassroots football clubs, 3 for each of the countries involved. In addition to the calculation of the environmental footprint of the clubs participating in the project, GOALS will provide an intuitive online tool to support football organizations in the calculation of their Environmental Footprint applying the European methodology on footprint (Recommendation 2013/179 / EU).

The project is coordinated by Sant’ Anna School of Advanced Studies, that has extensive experience in environmental management activities and environmental footprint assessment.

The project Consortium includes, in addition to the three participating Federations, Real Betis Balompié – the professional team of the Spanish Lega – and the international association ESSMA (European Stadium & Safety Management Association). This network comprises over 350 members that will contribute through communication, networking and replication activities, dissemination of project outputs and stakeholders’ engagement from the European world of football. Moreover, GOALS is supported by UEFA and by the Football Association of Ireland.