Lidl Expands UEFA Collaboration With Multi-Year Partnership

The retailer, owned by Schwarz Group, will become both UEFA’s Take Care Nutrition and grassroots football partner, ESM Magazine reports.

Under the agreement, Lidl will also serve as an official global partner of UEFA’s men’s and women’s national team competitions until 2030, including tournaments such as the UEFA European Championship 2028 and UEFA Women’s EURO 2029.

Focus On Grassroots Football And Nutrition Education

A central element of the partnership is the promotion of healthier lifestyles through football.

Lidl will support UEFA’s grassroots and school football programmes, with a focus on encouraging children to stay active.

The collaboration will also launch a pan-European digital platform designed for schools and clubs, offering online courses for teachers and coaches to promote active lifestyles and balanced nutrition among children.

In addition, the retailer will partner UEFA’s grassroots awards, which recognise projects and clubs each year, as well as initiatives such as the UEFA grassroots week.

Building on previous programmes such as the Lidl Youth Camp, the collaboration aims to combine sport and nutrition education, using football as a platform to engage younger generations and promote long-term healthy habits across Europe.

PreZero is also set to support the initiative, contributing expertise in resource efficiency and circular economy solutions, particularly in the context of major sport sporting events.

Broader Ambitions

Beyond football development, the partnership is intended to contribute to wider societal impacts by linking sport, education and sustainability.

Both organisations noted that the collaboration is based on shared values such as fairness, inclusion and responsibility, with the aim of driving long-term positive change in local communities across Europe.

Jens Thiemer, chief customer officer of Lidl International, said, “We are strategically developing our collaboration with UEFA and, with this first strategic partnership, creating sustainable added value for society.

“Through the power of football, we are bringing our expertise in conscious nutrition precisely where it makes a difference: to coaches, parents, and children in grassroots sports.

“Because social change is not decided in the stadium, but above all in the schoolyard and at the local club.”