Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide a description of the situation regarding the application of CSR principles in professional football, whereby particular attention will be paid to the most significant European league competitions. In addition, the authors have also focused on ascertaining the current situation in this area with regard to the participants in the Czech premier football league. Design/methodology/approach: The authors have based this article on the combination of the conclusions of a secondary data analysis, a website content analysis and an empirical investigation based on a series of semi-structured interviews. The main analytical categories involved the areas of focus for the CSR activities and the methods of CSR communication on the websites. Findings: It is apparent that significant differences exist between the degree to which the application of CSR principles has been included in the management practices of the clubs in the most significant European league competitions and in the Czech football league. In most Czech clubs, however, this currently mainly involves the realisation of some partial CSR activities in the area of charity, but without any links to the clubs’ key management systems. Research/practical implications: The achieved findings may constitute a valuable reflection on the further targeting of CSR initiatives, not only on the part of the managers of clubs which are active in the top domestic football league, but also on the part of the representatives of the football governing bodies in the Czech Republic Originality/value: The article’s added value not only lies in the acquisition of the first comprehensive overview of the current status of CSR engagement in Czech football, but also in the partial comparison with the situation in the Western European football environment.