This coming weekend, the top clubs will join their fans in taking action to tackle climate change and protect nature during the Football Green Weekend.
Leading clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester United, Norwich City and Bristol City will participate in matches that are as environmentally friendly as possible. More than 35 teams wear green armbands to show their support for climate change.
Fans across the country have taken part in the Soccer Green Cup over the past few weeks, scoring nearly 65,000 green goals for their clubs in order to propel them up the league table.
Manchester United are currently leading the way, followed by Leicester City, in a league that fans decide to score goals by taking climate-friendly measures, including taking shorter showers, eating more vegan meals and telling their clubs what they want to do. Be greener. Leeds United, Chelsea and Port Vale are followed in the ranking.
Players like Port Vale’s Funso Ojo and Wycombe Wanderers’ David Wheeler – whose teams will play each other at Green Football Weekend – have been challenging their fans to score as many Green goals as themselves (currently 855 and 160 respectively). Earlier in the competition, Ojo was named Fan of the Year in the Football Green Cup.
Ahead of a weekend of climate-conscious initiatives up and down the English footballing pyramid, Tottenham defender Amy Turner expressed her delight at seeing clubs and fans come together for the Football Green Weekend:
“Clubs play an important role in driving progress on climate change and there is so much more for all of us to do. It is exciting to see the Green Football Weekend bring the power of fans and clubs together to take action and make a difference. This is how we can make a real impact.” “.
Green Football Weekend’s Sarah Jacobs is also keen to see such initiatives in order to reduce football’s extraordinary carbon footprint: “Climate change is already having dire consequences for football, from flooded stadiums to soaring summer temperatures.
“Football clubs and fans play a crucial role in protecting our world. It’s great to see the power of fan action inspiring clubs and the entire football community to be even more ambitious.
“There is still a lot to happen – including clubs sustainably traveling to close matches becoming the norm – but this is very much a journey. The weekend brings together the Green Football – which is set to be the first annual event. Everyone together to raise collective ambition, generate momentum, and start to show what football can achieve when you put sustainability at the heart of what you do.”
Green Football Weekend is the largest football and climate campaign ever staged, unleashing the power of football to tackle climate change and protect nature. The campaign runs until February 5th and brings together football fans, over 80 professional football clubs, association football, the league, the national trust and many more. Find out more at www.greenfootballweekend.com.
