By: Imani Adesanya
Illustration By: Sylvain Chan
As one of the most popular sports in the world, it is no surprise that football has roughly 3.5 billion fans globally. Football brings people from all different walks of life together and serves as a powerful unifying force across different cultures and communities. However, there is also a downside to this global reach that is often overlooked. One of football’s most notable impacts is its substantial indirect contribution to environmental pressure. From the construction and energy demands of stadiums to travel-related emissions and waste production, football continues to leave a negative mark on the environment.
It is estimated that the global football industry produces more than 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, roughly the equivalent of the total emissions generated by Denmark. This means that it contributes about 0.3%-0.4% of global emissions. The main reason for the sport’s high carbon footprint is travel. Fans travel, players travel, and coaching staff travel. Globally this amounts to millions of people and thousands of flights every year. Along with travel, there will also be increased emissions from the operation of stadiums given the rising number of games. The ever-expanding fixture list means that this will only increase.
With changes to the Champions League format, which means there are now eight games played in the first stage rather than six, and the introduction of new competitions like the Club World Cup, more football is going to be played. This season there will be an additional 177 fixtures across Uefa’s three major tournaments. This European expansion comes just three years after an extra 63 matches were added with the introduction of the Conference League. These changes have led to several debates, most of which have been centred around player welfare. Whilst the welfare of players is important, there needs to be wider debate around the implications of this on the environment.
These changes mean there are more teams, more games, and more opportunities for travel. Consequently, this also means that there will be higher levels of greenhouse gases and therefore more damage to the environment, mainly through global heating. BBC Sport research suggests this expanded fixture list could lead to teams and fans flying about two billion air miles across the 2024-25 campaign, up from 1.5 billion in 2022-23. This means that football’s contribution to global environmental pressures will only get worse. Fan flights account for the largest share of European football’s total emissions, but team travel has a far greater environmental impact per passenger due to the use of private charter planes, which have a significantly higher carbon footprint than regular commercial flights. This means that addressing team travel practices could play a critical role in reducing the sport’s overall environmental footprint.
If more clubs reduced the amount of flights they take for domestic games, it would help lower their carbon footprint. In England, clubs are being increasingly criticised for choosing to fly to Premier League matches. It is generally the quickest and most convenient option and gives players and staff maximum time to prepare for games. However, emissions per kilometre travelled are known to be significantly worse than any other form of transport, with short-haul flights the worst emitters. Reducing the occurrence of these flights is one small step clubs could make.
There have been attempts within the game to better protect the environment. In 2016, the United Nations launched the Sports for Climate Action Framework, calling on signatories to reduce their emissions and reach net zero by 2040. The Premier League signed up in 2021. UEFA joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2022, vowing to halve emissions across its events by 2030. It is vital that clubs commit to these agreements and work towards adopting more environmentally friendly policies.
Football fans and football clubs should care about the environment because it not only affects their lives but it also affects the game. Appropriate weather conditions are necessary for the game to be played. The devastating floods in Spain in October last year saw the postponement of several Copa del Rey games. This demonstrates what the future of football could look like if we are not too careful.
