Full-time at COP30: what do the outcomes mean for football?
Before COP30 kicked off in Brazil, we wrote about the importance of this COP for climate and football outcomes. We highlighted the fantastic work of Earth FC (Terra FC), which launched ahead of the summit commencing. Earth FC expressed a simple message: join the game to save the game. Flooded pitches, heat-stressed players, disrupted seasons mean that football itself is under threat. Earth FC wanted to use COP30 as the starting whistle for a comeback. Behind it: a coalition of clubs, community groups, and youth organisations convened by Onda Solidária and Count Us In, driving climate action from grassroots to elite level. The campaign brought in key political figures, activists, and athletes from around the world; including Prince William, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and 2-time World Cup winner Cafu.
In the run up to the conference, signatories of the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action Framework urged “public and private institutions, national governments, city leaders and international bodies to formally recognise and invest in the role of sport as a climate action partner” (Forbes). In the spirit of “Mutirão,” – a noun of indigenous Brazilian origin, translated from the Tupi-Guarani language – meaning a community coming together to work on a shared task, sports groups urged governments to “unleash the power of sport to drive change” by embedding sport in climate strategies.
Sport is an important ally for the fight against climate change impacts, and fans have given a clear mandate that they want to see football doing more (as per our Pitches in Peril report). Despite the fact that none of the official COP30 documents mention football or the global sport sector explicitly, this doesn’t mean that the codified outcomes — and the context they reinforce — can’t help shape the world of football in several ways:
Infrastructure & venue resilience under climate change
Through the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP) and national adaptation plans, adaptation funding is due to increase and health/infrastructure planning should become more climate-informed. As a result, football stadiums, especially in climate-vulnerable regions, may benefit. Upgrades to make stadiums resilient against extreme heat, flooding or weather risks could be supported through climate adaptation finance. This could help safeguard long-term use of football pitches and related community facilities.
Sustainable stadiums, travel, and operations
The COP30 "Action Agenda" invites non-state actors — cities, investors, businesses, civil society — to accelerate the implementation of what has already been negotiated. Football clubs, leagues, and federations are part of that group. That creates space for football organisations to align with climate action: adopt low-emission transport for fans; invest in clean energy for stadiums; promote sustainable merchandise, etc. The tone from COP30 could strengthen calls within the sport world for greener operations.
Leveraging sport’s social power for climate justice & awareness
The appeal by sport groups during COP30 (the “mutirão” spirit) indicates an expectation that sport can play a role beyond entertainment — as mobiliser, educator, and community connector. For football-loving communities, this might accelerate athlete/club-led campaigns for sustainability, fan outreach on climate awareness, or partnerships with NGOs and environmental bodies.
Protecting communities and health — football as community anchor
With climate change threatening health systems (extreme heat, weather disasters, and displacement), investment in resilient health systems via BHAP could indirectly support communities where football has deep grassroots roots. Football often plays a central role in community cohesion, mental health, and youth engagement. Climate-resilient investments may help preserve community infrastructure, enabling football to continue being a positive social outlet amid climate stress.
Preservation of natural ecosystems leading to long-term environmental stability
Initiatives like the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), aiming to preserve forests and biodiversity, contribute to global climate stability. Over decades, stabilising climate – preventing extreme weather, protecting water cycles – supports the viability of football globally. In many regions, changing climate (droughts, and floods) already threatens playing fields, travel, fan experience, and pitch maintenance. A more stable global climate environment benefits football worldwide.
The decisions made at COP30 in Belém — from strengthened adaptation funding to a renewed focus on resilient communities and nature protection — will shape the conditions in which football is played, watched, and sustained for decades to come. As Earth FC reminded the world, football has both a stake in this fight and a unique power to inspire action. Now it’s up to clubs, players, fans, and governing bodies to carry that momentum forward, ensuring the world’s game plays its part in securing a safer, fairer, more climate-resilient future.