Green Football Weekend: What is it and how do you get involved?

Image source, Green Football Weekend

Football is sometimes criticised for not doing enough for the environment, but many clubs have been trying to change that.

Now, the first Green Football Weekend is hoping to draw attention to climate change and get footy fans to do more to help.

Backed by the FA, Football League and Women's Super League - 80 clubs have signed up to the event.

Here's everything we know about what's going on...

How can fans get involved in Green Football Weekend?

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Organisers and clubs are asking fans to try different ways of travelling to matches to avoid driving

The focus this year is on what fans can do to cut their carbon footprint.

Fans can register their actions to score 'Green Goals' for their club. The scores will be shown in a table on the official website.

An advert for the event suggests fans "drive less" and "eat one veggie meal a week".

Who is involved in Green Football Weekend?

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Lots of stadiums have things like reusable cups to be more environmentally friendly

Green Football Weekend is backed by the FA, Football League and Women's Super League, with about 80 clubs signed up to the event.

Some Premier League clubs are taking part, but the Premier League itself is not officially signed up.

Clubs will be making their fixtures 'greener games' by improving on-site recycling, serving veggie food and encouraging fans not to drive.

There are some more unusual actions as well - Middlesbrough are planting a tree for every goal they score against Blackpool, whilst Wolves players are wearing green armbands in their match against Liverpool.

Some schools and community groups are running special Green Football Weekend activities.

Sarah Jacobs, from Green Football Weekend, said: "Climate change affects all of us, and football is showing we can all do something to tackle it, whether you're cycling instead of driving to training, or using a refillable water bottle at a match. Individual action has the power to reduce global carbon emissions by nearly a third."

How green is football?

Video caption, Fifa called Forest Green Rovers the greenest club in the world, we take a look at why!

There's been a lot of criticism of football clubs in the past about their impact on the environment, including tpre-season tours with lots of travel abroad by plane to play in places as far away as Australia and the USA.

But, it's not just long distance flights. Nottingham Forest were recently criticised for flying to Blackpool, a journey which took just 20 minutes, instead of driving which would have taken around three hours.

Previously, Chelsea have flown to Middlesbrough and Tottenham flew to Manchester in the 2019 Champions League.

There are some positives though. In 2019 information about what Premier Clubs clubs are doing to be more environmentally friendly was made public for the first time.

Changes range from renewable energy to wildlife corridors.

Tottenham and Liverpool came joint-top of the 2021 Green League - a table measuring the sustainability of all 20 top-flight sides and Tottenham Hotspur players now travel to matches on coaches powered by biofuel.