Green Football Weekend (GFW) – the largest soccer campaign focused on tackling climate change – kicks off today in the U.K. This year’s event, running from Friday, February 2nd through Monday, February 5th, aims to mobilize players, clubs, fans, and broadcasters to increase climate literacy and take meaningful action to protect the planet. GFW encourages fans to score 'green goals' by recording climate-friendly actions on the Pledgeball and Planet League platforms. These actions can be as simple as eating a veggie meal or walking instead of driving for short distances. The English club with the most eco-friendly actions at the end of the weekend wins the GFW competition. Participants also get a chance to win exciting prizes, including tickets to the Championship Play-Off Finals and a family ticket to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. This year, the focus of GFW is on food sustainability. The campaign urges fans to make a 'Transfer to Veg' by shifting from meat and dairy consumption, popular at soccer stadiums in the U.K., to more environmentally friendly vegetarian and vegan options. To promote this shift, players and clubs have collaborated to create the GFW Veggie Cookbook, offering fans a taste of the meals enjoyed by elite players. The cookbook includes a range of plant-based recipes, from satay sweet potato curries to vegan poké bowls. Additionally, GFW organizers are working with clubs and catering companies to increase the availability of vegetarian and vegan options on matchday menus. Most participating clubs will have vegetarian and vegan meals available, with only one meat dish on offer. GFW has garnered support from some of the biggest names in English soccer. Players like Raheem Sterling have participated in the creation of the Veggie Cookbook, and broadcasters such as Sky and TNT are sponsoring and promoting the event across their programming. Presenters engage in fun activities like the 'Veg Wedge Challenge,' fostering friendly competition between the two networks. This year, GFW welcomes Mathieu Flamini, a former Arsenal FC player and current biochemical entrepreneur, as an ambassador. Flamini will be appearing on major sports shows in the U.K., spreading the message that fans have the power to create eco-friendly change in sports. Last year, GFW reached over 30 million people with climate messages, engaging 86 soccer clubs in the U.K. and resulting in fans scoring over 82,000 green goals for their clubs. The event also increased awareness among fans about the impact of climate change, with 83% of surveyed fans stating that GFW helped them understand how climate change impacts the things they love. Furthermore, 76% of fans reported that it encouraged them to take environmental issues into consideration in their day-to-day lives and do more to combat the climate crisis. This year, GFW continues to expand its impact. Queens Park Rangers joins Pledgeball’s Sustainable Travel Charter, while Wolverhampton Wanderers publishes its first environmental sustainability report and offers locally grown produce at their games. Southampton FC’s Women’s Team even plans to distribute free vegan cupcakes and tomato seed packs, and serve free homemade vegetable soup to fans at their game this Sunday. These initiatives demonstrate the wide-ranging efforts taking place at clubs across the U.K. Yet, GFW's influence is not limited to the U.K. The event's organizers are exploring opportunities to expand GFW to clubs and leagues in Brazil, Germany, and the U.S. The popularity of the English Premier League worldwide, with international broadcast rights surpassing domestic TV rights, makes it an ideal platform to internationalize soccer's fight against climate change. Fans from all over the globe can participate in GFW's fan activities by recording their actions on the Pledgeball or Planet League platforms, even if they cannot attend the stadiums or enjoy the vegetarian meals offered. They can also download the GFW Cookbook and try out the plant-based recipes. For fans of English soccer who may not support Manchester United, here's an opportunity to score against them and help the planet: at the time of writing, Manchester United is leading the GFW standings with 2745 Green Goals. While GFW is currently focused on the U.K., the potential for its global reach is evident. With the English Premier League's increasing international appeal, there may soon be opportunities for fans worldwide to participate in and benefit from GFW's eco-friendly activities.
