ESG and sustainable management in professional football: a bibliometric approach

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric review of sustainability management in football business management across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Using a structured search of the Scopus database (2005–2025), 1,451 records were identified, resulting in a final sample of 254 peer-reviewed, football-specific articles after screening. The findings reveal a clear imbalance in the literature: economic sustainability dominates (41.7%), followed by social sustainability (39.4%), while environmental sustainability remains underrepresented (15.0%). Economic research primarily examines financial governance mechanisms, including Financial Fair Play and revenue diversification. Social studies focus on community engagement, volunteerism, CSR initiatives, and mega-event legacies. Environmental scholarship addresses stadium energy efficiency, carbon emissions from travel, and waste management, yet remains limited relative to football’s significant ecological footprint. The review highlights critical gaps, including limited longitudinal analyses, insufficient club-level financial case studies, and underdeveloped research on environmental innovation and fan-driven sustainability practices. It calls for more integrated, interdisciplinary, and multi-level approaches to advance theoretical understanding and support practitioners in embedding sustainability more effectively across football’s global ecosystem.