December 2 – Football organisations are set to face increasing scrutiny over their environmental and social impact, driven by a younger, sustainability-conscious generation of supporters, according to a new survey by Carbon Responsible focusing on UK football fans.
The survey reveals a stark generational divide in attitudes toward clubs’ performance on sustainability.
While 64% of fans over the age of 55 indicated they would not change their behaviour even if their club lagged on sustainability and social responsibility, the numbers plummet among younger fans. Just 12% of Gen Z supporters and 15% of Millennials expressed similar indifference.
For these younger fans, a lack of progress on sustainability could prompt tangible action. Of the fans studied, many said they were willing to express their discontent by attending fewer matches, cutting back on football-related spending, or joining online campaigns to pressure clubs into making environmental improvements. This signals a shift in priorities, with younger fans increasingly aligning their passion for football with their commitment to sustainability.
“A new generation of sports fans are more informed and more demanding on sustainability than ever before,” says Matt Paver, chief operating officer at Carbon Responsible, which works with sports organisations including premier league football clubs to reduce environmental impact.
“Football clubs can’t afford to fall behind their peers on net zero now that fans are paying attention to a club’s sustainability credentials and factoring this into their decisions about buying match tickets and merchandise or even whether to stop supporting a club entirely.
“This younger generation of environmentally conscious fans will represent an increasing proportion of the fanbase over the next decade, becoming more influential with greater purchasing power. Our research shows they are already putting their money where their mouths are.”
Sustainability has increasingly become a priority for football clubs and tournaments, with notable steps such as UEFA allocating 5% of its Euros 2024 budget to address greenhouse gas emissions and just six Premier League clubs committing to net zero targets. However, new research by Carbon Responsible reveals that fans remain largely dissatisfied with the sport’s environmental efforts.
According to the study, 66% of fans believe football needs to do more to improve its sustainability practices, and 65% think clubs could better enable fans to adopt sustainable behaviours.
Key areas for improvement include greater scrutiny of club owners and sponsors’ sustainability credentials (64%) and rethinking fixture schedules to minimise the climate impact of player travel (67%).
Younger supporters (16–24) were keen on the importance of long-term commitments, with their top demand being that football organisations set and publicly share climate-impact reduction targets for the next decade.
In contrast, fans over 25 prioritise immediate changes, such as reducing plastic use, enhancing public transport options, and increasing reliance on clean energy at stadiums.
Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founder and co-director of Football For Future, says: “A younger generation of both players and fans feel a strong duty to take action on climate change, and we are already seeing the power and influence that sustainability advocates can have on the sport.
“This creates an exciting opportunity for a virtuous cycle: fans push clubs to improve their sustainability efforts, and in turn, the unparalleled cultural influence of football inspires even greater environmental engagement globally.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1733161745labto1733161745ofdlr1733161745owedi1733161745sni@g1733161745niwe.1733161745yrrah1733161745