The EU and football : EU values in UEFA competitions

Abstract

Over the past three decades, the relationship between the EU and UEFA has changed significantly, with football becoming as a practical and symbolic platform for the promotion of European values. Football is more than just a form of entertainment; it's a cultural and political arena where values like democracy, equality, inclusiveness, solidarity, and respect for human rights are portrayed, supported, and occasionally contested. Using a longitudinal case study format, this dissertation examines how, from 1995 to 2025, UEFA competitions, including the UEFA Euro, UCL, and UEL, have reflected and promoted EU values. The study uses document analysis and a qualitative research design to look at court decisions, institutional agreements, and UEFA campaigns. This method makes it possible to evaluate UEFA's cooperation with EU organisations as well as its function in bringing sporting governance into line with the normative and social goals of the EU. The research reveals that UEFA competitions serve two purposes. Through public campaigns and collaborative agreements with the EU, they support the values of equality and inclusivity, contributing to the portrayal of a common European identity. However, issues like nationalism, commercialisation, and transparent governance highlight inconsistencies between the symbolic statement of these values and their actual application. This research shows how football both reflects and contributes to the EU's changing political and cultural values. While UEFA is successful in promoting many of the Union's core values, its competitions also highlight how fragile these values are in a competitive, profit-driven setting. The European project itself can therefore be closely represented by football, which is divided in practice but united in ambition.