Sports

Ewald Lienen: Football Rebel for Future

German football veteran Ewald Lienen is convinced that football is political and bears social responsibility. Today, the Technical Director of FC St. Pauli is committed to climate protection - not only on the pitch.

French football clubs revisit transport modes in bid to reduce carbon footprint

With the travel of football players and fans having a significant impact on the environment,  France's football clubs, including amateur ones, have started developing initiatives to reduce travel. EURACTIV France reports.

Germans push back against green alternatives to artificial football pitches

The EU is considering new curbs on microplastics, a decision which could also affect the synthetic turfs of countless football pitches in Germany. Yet, replacing all surfaces by real grass, although more environmentally-friendly, is hardly feasible. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Formula One joins UN climate sport pact

Globe-trotting motor racing series Formula One signed up to a United Nations climate pact on Wednesday (22 January), as the long-running sport’s quest to go green and refresh its image moves up a gear.

Hoffenheim on tree-planting mission in Uganda

Football club 1899 Hoffenheim is planting trees in Uganda to help protect the environment. In the past, sustainability in football meant switching off the stadium lights in the evening, but many clubs are now breaking new ground.

How a Bulgarian city with decrepit sports base becomes a ‘European city of sports’

At a recent ceremony in the European Parliament in Brussels, the Association of European Capitals and Cities of Sport awarded the title of 'European City of Sport for 2020' to Pazardzhik. Valia Ahchieva takes a closer look at the Bulgarian city, whose sports base has fallen into disrepair and is earmarked for private developers.

Four clubs would lead the Premier if climate friendly politices were the goal

A study conducted in England has listed its football teams according to their environmental performance and four Premier League clubs - Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham - are leading the table. 

Playing with feelings: Football’s role in climate protection

Football plays a big role in the lives of many Europeans. Football clubs can reach people on an emotional level, and some use this to raise awareness about sustainability. One such example is Schalke 04, which drives environmental awareness in a traditional German coal region.

Study: Top 20 world footballers responsible for over 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions

The best players in the world are producing at least 505 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year only by travelling, way over the average, a study revealed. 

German football club on a mission to defend the climate

With thousands of fans travelling to matches and giant stadiums being built, football has a considerable climate impact. Some clubs are increasingly aware of this and try to limit their carbon emissions. A club from the small city of Mainz has been leading the movement for a decade.

Qatar imparts World Cup lessons…even before kickoff

Qatar has pledged to host not only the most sustainable World Cup in the middle of the desert, but is already sharing lessons from the event three years before the teams even begin to play.

France’s PSG wants to ‘lead by example’ in protecting the environment

Paris Saint-Germain's new training centre will be inaugurated in 2022. According to the club, the training grounds will be designed in such a way that PSG will be able to lead by example when it comes to protecting the environment. EURACTIV France reports.

Three ways in which football is helping to recycle plastic

Sports events organisers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact they have and therefore are trying to be more sustainable, including by reducing and reusing plastics. 

Nepal to ban single-use plastics from Everest by 2020

The Nepalese government has introduced a ban on single-use plastic on Mount Everest from January 2020 in an attempt to cut down on the trash left by mountaineers in what has turned into the world's highest landfill.

Trees for goals: the teenager playing to end deforestation

Lesein, a 15-year-old Kenyan, is one of the thousands of youngsters around the globe who have joined Greta Thunberg in her fight against climate change. He has been planting trees for every goal he scores since 2018, as his way of contributing to the fight.

Lyon football club attempts to reconcile sport with environment

Olympique Lyonnais' newly-built OL City complex has been designed to be more environmentally friendly, though it initially attracted criticism for requiring a longer commute. EURACTIV France reports.

Fans back call for phasing out single-use plastics from UK stadiums

A survey conducted by YouGov shows football fans support for environmental NGOs' call to clubs in the UK top four divisions to eliminate single-use plastics from their stadiums. 

‘Sports for future’: German athletes raise their voices against climate change

German athletes, associations, clubs and supporters are joining forces to support the ‘Fridays for future’ movement and raise awareness of the need to fight climate change, including by promoting eco-friendly practices in sports management.

EU will not ban artificial turf pitches but could impose restrictions

The European Union will not ban artificial turf pitches, at least yet, but the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) is looking at alternatives, as this material is an important source of microplastics.

Profit, planet, and people: Dublin stadium’s approach to sustainability

Controlling the social, economic and environmental impact of its activity should be at the core of the administration of a sports venue, managers of the Aviva Stadium in Dublin told EURACTIV in an interview.

Forest Green Rovers, the world’s greenest football club

A vegan menu, bamboo-made t-shirts, an organic pitch, a stadium 100% powered with renewable energy… in less than a decade, the Forest Green Rovers has become the first carbon-neutral club in the world. EURACTIV interviewed its manager.

How sustainable can football be?

Football inspires, it brings people together and is like a religion to some – as we may well see at the Women's World Cup final in France on Sunday. But football also has its downsides: heaps of rubbish, squandering of water and a big CO2 footprint. The Life Tackle initiative now wants to change that.

The football tournament you’ve never heard of

Eight football teams will duel it out in the foothills of the Caucasus this month to decide which is the best in Europe. But you will not find Germany, Italy or Spain on the match list and none of the teams taking part are fully recognised by the international community.

Betis, the Spanish club committed to going climate neutral

Spanish football club Real Betis is well known for the colours of its T-shirt, green and white. But now they want to integrate that concept into their whole policy by leading the way in making soccer more sustainable.