What do we want?

No more high carbon sponsors and advertisers

High carbon companies (fossil fuel companies, aviation, car companies not serious about electric cars) are under pressure. People know they are frustrating necessary climate action. They use football, the game we love, to protect their image: sportswashing. Let’s kick them out of our beautiful game.

 

Decarbonize football

Less international games (yes!), a lighter and thus better schedule. Trains over planes, sustainable travel. A better fan experience: from plant-based burgers at the stadium to a sustainable jersey that you keep for many years.

 

Serious plans

Football clubs and associations should subscribe to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework and make serious plans.

 


Who are we?

  • We are football fans concerned about the climate crisis. We want our sport to do the right thing.
  • Started by Frank Huisingh, Dutch and Ajax-fan. Small now, we hope to become a movement of football fans from around the world demanding the necessary climate action from their clubs and associations. Because if football does the right thing, others follow.

What is the impact from the climate crisis on football?

  • The climate crisis will change conditions everywhere. They impact the players, the fans, the referees and the pitches.
  • More and more intense extreme heat. Extreme heat can lead to heat strokes, organ failures and even death. For players, referees and fans.
  • Drought, extreme rain and floods. We cannot play on a dry pitch – or get the water to irrigate it- or a flooded pitch

Why do we want to kick out climate killing sponsors and advertisers?




Influence

Football is influential. Clubs and players influence norms. When they speak out against racism or homophobia, fans listen. Players normalise livestyles.

 

Cultural licence to operate

Partnerships between corporations and sports create a ‘cultural license to operate’. It makes them look credible and normal. If you’re a company causing climate destruction, that is helpful. You can ‘sports wash’ your reputation.


Our sport

So sponsors love football. To get us to buy their products and to associate themselves with your favourite tournament, player and team.

 

This is not normal!

Fossil fuels are not normal. They are causing the climate emergency. They should not use our sport to look normal.

 

Which sponsors are we talking about?

We focus on high-carbon sponsors. Following the Rapid Transition Alliance, these are fossil fuel companies, airlines and airports, and cars (except electric cars). Prominent examples are TotalEnergies (Confederation of African Football), ENI (Italian Football Federation), Emirates Airlines (Arsenal, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bendica and others).

How to decarbonize football?

  • The biggest emissions in football come from travel (fans and clubs), food, merchandise production and transport and stadium energy use and construction. Your club or association can change all of that. Check out SportPositiveLeagues and FootballForFuture.
  • We also need structural discussions about international football. More international matches with lots of fans flying? More world cups? More European tournaments? What about more matches against teams in neighbouring countries? What about less international matches? It’s time for international football to be better not bigger.

What are serious climate plans?

Bigger clubs and organisations can join the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. A serious plan looks at all emissions a club has an impact on, inluding fan travel.

Why do you call yourself Fossil Free Football?

Fossil Free Football is inspired by the Fossil Free Movement, from 350.org to FossielvrijNL and FossilFreeCulture