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This week, UEFA will present 16 awards to national associations, honouring off-pitch activities that contribute to the game’s overall development.
Off-field projects from across Europe will be rewarded this week at the UEFA Grow Awards, honouring strategic activities that have benefited the growth of the game.
The Grow Awards recognise and promote the initiatives and successes of UEFA member national associations, while also communicating best-practice models and strategies that are helping to keep European football moving forwards both on and off the pitch.
UEFA received a record 150 applications from 43 of its 55 member associations for this year’s eight award categories, a sign of the excellent work and strategic progress across the continent despite the challenges presented by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. An innovation award will be presented in each category, in addition to the overall winner.
This week, three nominees for each of the eight awards will present their projects to the UEFA Grow Awards jury, made up of eight industry experts.
Winners will be announced with the help of football legends Nadine Kessler and Luís Figo during a ceremony streamed to associations from UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland, this Friday 3 December.
Karl-Erik Nilsson, Grow Ambassador and Chair of UEFA HatTrick programme, said, “Over the past six years, the UEFA Grow programme has become a key contributor to raising national association standards throughout Europe. In that time, significant progress has been made and this is evident in the incredible 150 applications we have received for this year’s awards.”
“It is testament to the work, expertise and commitment shown to our sport during such challenging times that our community continues to find ways of improving football.
“The eight award categories cover a wide breadth of fantastic national association work and we look forward to discovering the winners this Friday.”
Which categories feature in the 2021 UEFA Grow Awards and which national associations are nominated?
Brand development
Nominees: Finland, Germany, Iceland
Commercial partnership
Nominees: Finland, Norway, Romania
Communications campaign
Nominations: Netherlands, Poland, Serbia
COVID-19 community initiative
Nominees: Croatia, Denmark, Italy
Data and insights project
Nominees: Belgium, England, Sweden
Fan engagement project
Nominees: Netherlands, Poland, Portugal
Organisational development project
Nominees: Belgium, Ireland, Russia
Stakeholder support initiative
Nominees: Portugal, Sweden, Ukraine
What is UEFA Grow?
Launched in 2015, UEFA Grow aims to strategically nurture the development of European football in close collaboration with each of our 55 national associations.
The Grow programme provides tailor-made support, offering fact-based research and market intelligence to guide UEFA’s member associations in developing a clear vision for growth. Its effects are far-reaching, yet focused on five key points:
– Strategic planning
– Participation
– Image
– Engagement
– Revenues
In late 2021, Grow’s social return on investment model identified a precise figure on European football’s participation in wider economic, health and social impact. The cost-benefit analysis showed that 13.2 million registered players across 35 countries generates a cumulative €64.68 billion in direct and in-kind savings.
