The Football Association of Wales has become the first national association to join Common Goal, committing at least 1% of ticket sales from World Cup qualifiers to community and environmental projects across the country.
Players, managers and clubs pledge part of their income back into the game and members include Jürgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann, Oliver Glasner, Dani Olmo, Vivianne Miedema and Serge Gnabry. Werder Bremen and Sporting Gijón of the Bundesliga and La Liga 2 respectively are among the teams signed up to the organisation.
The former Spain and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata started Common Goal in 2017, pledging 1% of his football earnings to 190 football-based projects in 90 countries and more than 250 players and managers have followed. The Uefa president, Aleksandar Ceferin, is also committed to the project. The Denmark manager, Kasper Hjulmand, is on the Common Goal advisory board.
The organisation’s cofounder, Jürgen Griesbeck, said he hopes other countries follow the FAW’s lead. “What started as a player-led movement in 2017, is now a network of diverse football industry stakeholders including clubs, corporations, industry leaders and now the Football Association of Wales, the first national association to join the movement,” he said.
“I hope that the other 210 associations recognised by Fifa are inspired by the FAW’s leadership and commit to working together to unleash football’s full potential as a force for positive change in the world.”
Jess Fishlock, who became Wales’s all-time leading women’s goalscorer on Tuesday, joined last year. The Seattle Reign midfielder has scored 45 goals for her country.
The FAW directs 10% of revenues to Welsh community projects via the Cymru Football Foundation, which became a Common Goal member this year. Sharon Tuff, the FAW’s commercial director, said Wales supporters will decide where the funds generated for Common Goal will be used.
“It is also the intention of the FAW to work towards unlocking the 1% contribution with our partners and stakeholders, innovating across other commercial revenue streams as the federation strives to shape a better future for Wales at home and on the world stage,” she said.
