Football is the world’s biggest cultural language, and climate change is the biggest challenge we face. In this live Nature of Things salon (Paddington Development Trust), Dan Hall, Communications Manager at Football for Future, explores what happens when those two worlds collide.
Dan shares why football is such a powerful place to shift attitudes, how extreme weather is already disrupting matches and grassroots pitches, and how football itself contributes to emissions through travel, infrastructure, kits and sponsorship. He also unpacks what “sustainable football” could look like, from better tournament planning and fan travel, to club-led community action and player climate leadership.
We also dive into Football for Future’s work with clubs and players, the adidas Move for the Planet project, and the landmark Pitches in Peril report, which maps climate risk for football ahead of the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
Paddington Development Trust Presents - Nature of Things - A Salon for Curious Minds. Supported by Mason & Firth
Links and projects mentioned:
Football for Future - https://footballforfuture.org/
Pitches in Peril - https://footballforfuture.org/pitchesinperil
Fields of Change handbook - https://footballforfuture.org/fieldsofchange
Move for the Planet (Common Goal) - https://www.common-goal.org/Project/Details/Move-for-the-Planet
Met Office, football and climate change - https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/getclimateready/football
Green Football - https://greenfootball.org/
Pledgeball - https://pledgeball.org/
Fossil Free Football - https://fossilfreefootball.org/
Follow:
Football for Future (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/ftblforfuture/
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