The Royal Belgian Football Association: Scoring Goals On and Off the Pitch

This case concerns the 2020-2024 strategic plan for sustainability of the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA). The RBFA has been very successful on the football pitch, as the Belgian national team - the Red Devils - has ranked first in the world since September 2018. The case describes the rich history of sustainability activities at the RBFA since 1986, the materiality matrix that resulted from a stakeholder consultation, and their efforts to align their strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In September 2020, on their 125th anniversary, the RBFA would communicate about their new strategic plan for sustainability, which included the ambition to also become a leading football association off the pitch. They developed a strategic framework that mapped specific UN SDGs to a combination of four sustainability pillars and three levels of impact. Would this structured approach help them to implement sustainability projects effectively? Was aligning with the UN SDGs going to help them to develop a shared language with partners? Could the 'Golden Generation' of football players become true sustainability champions? How could the RBFA help drive the world towards a sustainable future for everyone?