Sustainability: A challenge for football

Football not only has the power, but also the responsibility, to lead and influence change, to use its unique influence for good. There’s a great opportunity for collaboration on sustainability initiatives between clubs, governing bodies and football supporters.

Can football really consider itself at the forefront of the green agenda if it allows games to be broadcast at time when it is impossible for match-going fans to use public transport? The inevitable consequence of putting broadcasters before fans is more car journeys. Change is needed.

Is it really necessary for clubs to replace their kit every season? Considering the popularity of replica shirts the level of waste is staggering. Why can’t clubs keep their kits for two or even three seasons?

We’d like to see clubs publish a sustainability policy, nominate a director to lead that, publish CO2 emissions, commit to external benchmarking and publish Net Zero Carbon targets. This entails the involvement of both the Club and LS185 as operators of the London Stadium.

Compared to other clubs, West Ham United are not doing very well - details of all Premier League clubs are published in the latest Sport Positive Leagues 2023 Premier League Environmental Sustainability Report published in April 2024.

Since we moved into the stadium there have seen some improvements in how the Club and London Stadium manage their resources and waste. Plastic straws have been replaced with paper ones, fully compostable Vegeware cutlery has replaced plastic cutlery, wooden stirrers have replaced plastic stirrers and nine water fountains have been installed across London Stadium to encourage refill.

In 2025 saw the installation of 6,500 square metres of advanced solar membrane panels, now fully integrated into the stadium’s roof. It is the largest investment in solar panels for any stadium in the UK and they generate enough power for all event days at London Stadium.

However the club has regressed in reducing the use of single-use plastic.
In 2019 they undertook a trial of serving all draught beer across general admission areas at the venue in reusable plastic cups. This included having over 100 green cup collections points around the Stadium – at least one per block .
This initiative only lasted for part of the season despite the club publicising its success at the first game that they were used: 20,000 plastic cups saved already.
The club still use this image of reusable plastic cups on its Environment page on its website!

The Club are also backing the Sky Ocean Rescue Campaign. The campaign is aiming to raise awareness of the negative environmental impacts of plastic waste and inspiring football fans to ‘Pass on Plastic’.

The West Ham United Foundation is working on a number of community initiatives to reducing our environmental impact and through their efforts they educate, empower and engage supporters, individuals and communities to do so too.

If football doesn’t do its bit to challenge the climate emergency then there us a real risk that, by 2050, 23 of the 92 league clubs can expect partial or total annual flooding. It is in football best interests to act now.

Motion proposed at the FSA’s AGM on November 2021

The FSA recognise the wider climate emergency and the concern of supporters regarding the environmental impact of professional sport.
Football clubs have the influence to be a force for change by making a positive impact on their own direct CO2 emissions but also through promoting behavioural change amongst match going supporters.
However, many clubs do not have a published sustainability policy and are still not publicly reporting on their environmental impact with associated data.
This AGM resolves to engage directly with the FA, Premier and Football League with the aim to campaign for all clubs to develop, and publish, a sustainability policy. This policy should include a plan for achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions in line with, or ahead, of UK Government policy.