In 2021, Fulham's owner Shahid Khan unveiled plans for an £80 million stand at Craven Cottage, boasting a rooftop Sky Deck with views of the London skyline and a rooftop swimming pool. However, the stadium faces a grim future as it is predicted to be underwater by 2050 due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. Fulham is not alone in this predicament, as nearly one in four stadiums in the top four divisions of English football are expected to experience flooding within the next 25 years.
Other Premier League clubs like Chelsea and West Ham United, as well as U.S. sports teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Heat, and New York Mets, are also at risk of annual flooding. The impact of climate change extends beyond rising sea levels, with heatwaves, droughts, fires, and air pollution threatening various sports globally.
The environmental impact of football is significant, with the sport responsible for nearly 1% of carbon emissions in the UK. Efforts to address this issue include initiatives by clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City to reduce their carbon footprint through renewable energy use and recycling programs.
Despite some positive steps taken by certain clubs and organizations, there is a lack of proactive response from many in the football industry regarding climate change. The urgency of the situation is highlighted by the increasing frequency of extreme weather events affecting football seasons, such as the 10 named storms that disrupted matches in the UK during the 2023-24 season.
Individuals within the football community, like sustainability champion David Wheeler of Wycombe Wanderers, are working to raise awareness and drive change. Wheeler has organized workshops to educate players about climate change and has advocated for sustainability measures within his club, including the introduction of electric car charging facilities.
While progress is being made in some quarters, there remains a need for collective action and greater awareness within the football industry to address the looming threat of climate change on the sport.
