A group of (former) professional football players and others in men’s football, led by David Wheeler, have come together to call upon FIFA and other football associations to take serious climate action. Read their piece here.

The climate crisis threatens football. Time for FIFA to stop advertising fossil fuels

At the last COP climate conference in Azerbaijan, athletes from around the world spoke about the impact of the climate crisis on their sports and the need for more climate action. 

Eroni Leilua is a two time sailing Olympian from Samoa, an island nation that could disappear entirely due to rising sea levels. Pragnya Mohan, India’s most decorated triathlete and David Rudisha, two time Olympic champion from Kenya, spoke about the impacts extreme heat and drought have on their performance. Fellow football players Sofie Junge Pedersen and Katie Rood talked about their letter, signed by over 130 female footballers, that urges FIFA to reconsider the sponsor deal between FIFA and oil company Aramco. 

We agree with them, this sponsor deal is unacceptable in times of a rapidly escalating climate crisis.

It is clear that the climate crisis has a massive impact on the sports we love. Athletes – from kids to professionals – need ice to skate on, pitches on which to run and kick a ball around, and conditions that do not put them at risk of death. We simply cannot play if our pitch is flooded, and we cannot perform in extreme heat or polluted air. 

Climate impacts are impossible to ignore. From floods displacing hundreds of thousands in west Africa and killing hundreds in Spain, to wildfires in and around Los Angeles to drought and extreme heat from southern Africa to India. The impacts of climate change are getting worse and it is clear what we need to do: the world must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and restore nature.

As football players, coaches and others working in men’s football, we are glad to see that international football association FIFA has signed up to this target under the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. FIFA president Infantino has become a regular at UN climate summits.

Unfortunately, we do not see FIFA taking the necessary action to deliver a 50% emissions reduction. There are two major issues that need to be addressed. Firstly, FIFA must look at its own emissions. Expanded World Cups and Club World Cups, with more teams and more air travel, are steps in the wrong direction. Many players also speak out on the impact the expanding football calendar has on their physical and mental health, supported by players’ union FIFPRO. A smarter, smaller and more regional football calendar can solve two problems at once. FIFA, as well as UEFA and other confederations, need to take their responsibility here.

Secondly, from stadiums to football jerseys, football is used to promote products and companies to an audience of billions. This includes fossil fuel companies. We know that to address the climate crisis, we must phase-out fossil fuels. The first step is to stop promoting them. We call upon FIFA, other associations and clubs to stop signing deals with fossil fuel companies. 

We can learn from the past here: to get people to stop smoking and protect people from the health impacts of tobacco smoke, most of the world stopped advertising tobacco. Many cities are now also banning advertisements for fossil fuel products.

We love football and we want future generations to enjoy it as much as we do. For that, the football world needs to step up its game. 

Signatories

David Wheeler, English, last club Shrewsbury Town FC

Michael Devlin, Scottish, Ayr United Football Club, 3 caps for the Scottish national team

Bart Vriends, Dutch, Adelaide United

Aarón Ñíguez Esclápez, Spanish, formerly Elche CF, Málaga, Glasgow Rangers and others

Emiliano Marcondes, Danish, Norwich City

Sam Vokes, Welsh, Wycombe Wanderers, 64 caps for the Welsh national team

Yann Fillion, Canadian, Floriana FC

Georgie Kelly, Irish, Carlisle United

James Keohane, Irish, Galway United

Maël Corboz, American / French, DSC Arminia Bielefeld

Funso King Ojo, Belgian, Shrewsbury Town FC

Hugo Wentges, Dutch, ADO Den Haag

Erik Panzer, New Zealander, last club Melville United

Olav Øby, Norwegian, last club Sandnes Ulf

Robbie Crawford, Scottish, Charleston Battery

Bradley Pritchard, British, formerly Charlton Athletic and others

Matthew Pennington, British, Blackpool FC

Pat Baldwin, British, formerly Chelsea, Colchester United and others

Jacob Gardiner-Smith, British, Sholing FC

Nick Freeman, British, Stevenage FC

Matt Butcher, British, Wycombe Wanderers / Bristol Rovers (loan)

Charlie Dobres, British, former director Lewes FC

Caleb Watts, English / Australian, Exeter City

Jack Grimmer, British, Wycombe Wanderers

Maarten de Fockert, Dutch, formerly SC Heerenveen, Excelsior Rotterdam and others

Flemming Pedersen, Danish, Director Right to Dream Academy

Alex Hartridge, English, Exeter City

Christian Borchgrevink, Norwegian, Heart of Midlothian FC

Signatories since publication in the Daily Mirror:

Colm Horgan, Irish, Galway United FC

Vincent Borden, American, Galway United FC

Jordan Rhodes, British, last club Mansfield Town, 15 caps for the Scottish national team

Franco Ravizzoli, Argentinian, Blackpool FC

Jasper Pattenden, English, Wycombe Wanderers

Chris Forino, British, Bolton Wanderers, 2 caps for the Saint Lucia national team

Jack Wakely, British, formerly Chelsea, Wycombe Wanderers, Ebbsfleet United and others

Connor Riley-Lowe, English, Truro City FC