It’s time to give the science the respect it deserves. Climate change is set to be the defining issue of our generation, and the future of football is going to be affected too. This is a game we can’t afford to lose.

The overwhelming consensus from across the scientific community is that sustainable change is necessary if we are to avoid irreversible damage to our planet. Science aside, most of the British public want to see sustainable change. Despite this, we continue to accelerate in the opposite direction.

Football and the Environment

From rained-off Sunday league matches to ‘carbon neutral’ World Cups, the relationship between football and the environment is becoming clear to see. The football industry has a massive impact on our environment, and in turn, our changing climate is increasingly affecting the game.

With warming temperatures, the UK can expect to see even more unpredictable and extreme weather events. Of these, the most immediately disruptive to English football will be greater rainfall and flooding, as well as more intense storms.

Let’s look at some key stats:

Without significant action, 25% of English Football League stadiums are at risk of annual flooding by 2050 due to sea-level rise and extreme weather events caused by climate change. See here.
Grassroots football in the UK already loses over one month of action every season due to bad weather. This is set to get worse. See here.
The global football industry emits about thirty million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. About the same as a small nation such as Denmark or Tunisia. See here.

“I’ve noticed that the kids aren’t able to play as many matches per season as they were when I first got involved with the club over a decade ago ” -
Manager of grassrootS club Bromley Heath

Beyond the game, climate change poses a real threat to livelihoods all over the world. Evidence shows that if we don’t work together to tackle this issue, we are on track for record-breaking temperatures, water shortages, crop failures, and subsequent refugee crises this century. These facts alone suggest that things cannot continue the way they are.

It is clearer than ever that football can help itself and the planet by embracing sustainable operations, as they become inevitable and increasingly desirable for fans around the world.

Why Football?

Football is more than just a game.

In an often-divided world, football brings people together across borders, genders, religions, age groups, and socioeconomic divides in a way that little else does.

No other event on the planet draws a greater audience than FIFA World Cups, with the last two tournaments notching up more than three billion spectators each. All eyes are on us.

And the beautiful game exists far beyond just 90-minutes on the pitch. Football culture flows from the stadium to the street, through kitchens and corridors, pubs and playgrounds, creating trends, communities and conversations across countries and continents.

Organisations such as Football Beyond Borders, Common Goal, Kick It Out or Marcus Rashford’s recent Free School Meal campaign are all inspirational examples of the positive impact that football can have off the pitch. And fans love to see it. Regardless of who we support, the football community is proud of what we can achieve.

Getting the Ball Rolling…

To kick off some necessary sustainable action, a good place to start is with the commercial operations of the game.

Cutting back on single-use-plastics, increasing renewable energy provision, improving public transport options, and signing up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework are a few achievable actions that can help to make our national sport more environmentally friendly. We look forward to supporting a wave of such action across English football in the near future.

On another positive note, we’re beginning to see promising signs of environmental advocacy from significant individuals and organisations across the football community. Some pioneering cases include:

Players (see Héctor Bellerín)
Clubs (see Forest Green Rovers)
Club fan groups (see Huddersfield Town)
Supporters associations (see Football Supporters Europe)
Broadcasters (see Sky Sports)

These are just a few examples, but plenty more is happening, and it’s a safe bet to put your money on more of the same coming soon. Rest assured, at Football For Future we’ll be supporting and reporting on all of this, so make sure you follow our socials and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest news.

Fergie Time

All the data points to the same conclusion: we are deep into Fergie Time. However, football is unique in that it generates a special type of hope… that no cause is lost until the final whistle.

It’s time to switch up our tactics, normalise this important conversation, and work together to bring meaningful sustainability into the beautiful game. We are all key players, and working as a team we can make great things happen.

Although the dangers of climate change are rightly cause for concern, it looks like English football might just provide the spark to ignite a late comeback. If Leicester could win the 2015-16 Premier League, we definitely stand a chance of pulling this one out the bag.

We’re all on the same team for this one.

Editors Note: Football For Future is a new, pioneering environmental advocacy football organisation kicking off the important conversation about meaningful sustainability in English football. Whilst we are underpinned by peer-reviewed environmental science, we are equally invested in championing the very best of football culture. We are by the football community, for the football community.