Social programmes in professional football contribute to health

Participation in the social programmes of professional football organisations demonstrably contributes to improving perceived physical, social, and mental health. This is evident from the impact report that Utrecht University has made for the fourth season in a row, together with the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie and Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Together with all 34 professional football clubs, the two leagues have sharpened their social focus to address the pressing health issue in the Netherlands. Researchers from Utrecht University studied how clubs implement their social programmes and what significance these initiatives hold for participants.  They also investigated how professional football players relate to the social commitment of their club.

The collaboration between the Utrecht University School of Governance (USG), the Eredivisie CV, and the Coöperatie Eerste Divisie has led to an extensive impact assessment for the fourth consecutive season. The report focuses on figures and stories about the social impact of professional football. In the monitoring of the social impact, insights were collected for the first time last season about the contribution of football programmes to Positive Health. "Positive Health" is a term that is widely used in the healthcare domain and emphasizes the ability of people to adapt and to self-manage, in the face of social, physical and emotional challenges.

Increased Positive Health

Participants in the social programmes of professional football organisations, such as Fit with FC Groningen and PSV Vitality, completed a questionnaire before and after participation in which they assessed their health on the six dimensions of Positive Health: bodily functions, mental well-being, meaning, quality of life, participation and daily functioning. The results of the 2024/'25 season are promising: on average, participants experienced a significant improvement in all six dimensions. They feel fitter, experience more connection, have more fun and balance, and look to the future with more confidence.

 According to researcher Stef Van Der Hoeven, the magnitude of the effects and the significant improvements on the dimensions of Positive Health emphasize that football "not only has an impact during the ninety minutes on the pitch, but also beyond it." Moreover, the greatest effect was realized on the dimension of bodily functions, meaning that participants feel healthier, fitter, and more physically active after participating in the programme.

Socially involved and engaged players

In addition to the meaning that social programmes have for participants, it has been investigated how professional football players relate to the social commitment of their clubs. That the social commitment of professional football players would distract them from their focus on performance turns out to be a myth. Almost 90% reported that their social commitment does not come at the expense of their focus on performing in football.

A sample of 193 players, active in the VriendenLoterij Eredivisie or the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, shows that they are very positive about the social role of their club and their own commitment to it. Almost four out of ten players participated two to three times in social activities in the past season, while more than a third were involved even more frequently. They give clinics, visit schools, support charities, or inspire young people in their neighbourhood – moments when the power of football becomes visible as a connecting language.

The majority of players believe that it is important that the club is committed to society and that social involvement is part of being a professional football player, regardless of personal preference. Even apart from the club's social initiatives, almost 70% of the players would like to contribute as much to social themes as they currently do. More than a quarter would like to do even more.

In addition, the results show that the more strongly football players feel that their club is committed to relevant themes in the region, the more energetic, committed and involved they feel in their work. According to project leader Maikel Waardenburg, this suggests "that the club's social commitment may play a meaningful role in the enthusiasm of players and can therefore also have a positive effect on their sporting performance."

More information

For more information, read the full impact report or contact Maikel Waardenburg: m.waardenburg@uu.nl.