Posted on 3rd February 2023
More than 80 clubs have joined forces to combat the climate crisis ahead of the first ever Green Football Weekend – and supporters are being encouraged to take action too.
Green Football Weekend is here – how has your team done?
Green Football Weekend takes place this Saturday and Sunday, as many clubs and fans join forces to take action on the climate crisis.
Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Norwich City and Bristol City will all take part in greener games to make their matches as carbon-friendly as possible.
More than 35 teams are wearing green armbands to show their support for the cause while committing to a range of actions including sustainable travel, discounting vegan food, encouraging recycling and carbon off-setting team travel.
Green Football Weekend have also tallied positive actions by fans into a league table with the winners being awarded the Green Football Cup. Manchester United currently hold a commanding lead, followed by Leicester City. Leeds United, Chelsea and Port Vale are following close behind.
Gary Lineker: “We know that football has the power to inspire and move millions and that’s why Green Football Weekend is such a brilliant, yet simple idea.”
“All across the country, fans and clubs will be taking action to help protect our planet. With just days to go, you can still help your club win the Green Football Cup by taking practical, climate-friendly actions to score green goals,” added Lineker.
What’s your club doing?
- Tottenham Hotspur will be putting on a matchday shuttle-bus and carbon neutral coach service to encourage fans to take public transport, serving plant-based options with wooden cutlery and recyclable packaging, and providing reusable beer cups.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers are announcing their new sustainability strategy, including committing to net zero by 2040, establishing a fan focus group on sustainability and the environment, and expanding their sustainability programme.
- Liverpool men’s team will travel by bus to play Wolves away, and will use sustainable fuels, creating a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 90% from regular diesel.
- Norwich City will offer discounts on vegan pies, old merchandise and reusable items in the shop, encourage fans to travel by e-bike, provide digital rather than paper team sheets and give wildflower seeds to the Junior Canaries.
- Away team Bristol City will be offsetting first team travel and hotel, subsiding away supporter coach travel, encouraging fans to use a personal carbon calculator tool and delivering unused food to a local charity.
- Southampton Women will be offering free tasters of vegan food, giving out wildflower seeds, encouraging car sharing to the game, and running education sessions with the team on sustainability.
- Aston Villa Women are subsidising their fans’ coach travel to the game and delivering Green Football Weekend educational lessons in primary schools.
- Ipswich Town will launch a partnership with Ipswich Clear Air Now to tackle local air pollution, including encouraging fans to take sustainable travel to matches.
- Middlesbrough will run a collection for football boots, clothing and food.
- Carlisle United will be running a ‘green marketplace’ at their match vs Harrogate Town, where fans can meet local charities and environmental organisations.
- Swindon Town have appointed former player Michael Doughty as the club’s new chief sustainability officer.
- Northampton Town are running a greener game with fanzone activities, supporting sustainable fan travel and the introduction of recycling hot cup bins at the stadium.
Green Football Weekend say that an estimated 23 out of the 92 league clubs in the UK can expect total or partial annual flooding of their stadiums by 2050 – another reason why climate action is so important.
