This official certification is the result of UEFA’s actions taken over the last couple of years to reach its objective of establishing equality in its workplace. It ensures that it applies a fair wage policy among all staff and is a key milestone in UEFA’s work as an inclusive employer.

The process of the certification, which began in 2019, included salary analysis, surveys, focus group discussions and interviews among staff and was aimed at not only reviewing the data of salaries, but also auditing the perceptions, values and mindsets regarding equal salary. UEFA now becomes one of the very first organisations worldwide – and the first sports organisation – to receive this certification.

UEFA General Secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, said: “As an employer, performing an equal salary audit has been a key milestone in our work on diversity and inclusion. We launched this detailed analysis of our situation back in 2019 to ensure that we really live by our values of respect in the way that we manage our organisation.

“UEFA’s strategy outlines the need for all to come together for the future of football. We believe this was a project of great importance, ensuring that all those UEFA staff who work for the good of European football every day can trust that they are treated fairly for their work.

“We are proud of our equal pay certification and see this as a great achievement in our consistent efforts to ensure an inclusive workplace of equal opportunities for all.”

Co-CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation, Noémie Storbeck, commented: “We are extremely pleased to welcome UEFA among our EQUAL-SALARY certified organisations. Equal pay in the world of sports is an ongoing and very topical debate.

“UEFA is the first organisation in the sports sector to be EQUAL-SALARY certified. It makes history and sends us a message of hope for a wider improvement of the situation in this area.”