Manchester United have gone top of the table for damaging the planet – thanks to a 19,758 mile pre-season tour taking in Australia, Singapore, China, Norway and Wales.
The Red Devils – who wore the slogan For the Oceans on their shirts last season to raise plastic pollution awareness – have the biggest carbon footprint of Premier League clubs.
Flights to Perth, Singapore, Shanghai, Oslo and Cardiff will create 354.4 tonnes of CO2 – carbon dioxide which adds to global warming.
Behind United are Tottenham Hotspur, jetting 15,160 miles to Singapore, Shanghai and Munich – around 267.6 tonnes of CO2.
Third are Manchester City after a 14,227 mile journeys to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Yokohama at 249.6 tonnes of CO2.
Chelsea are fourth after visiting Dublin, Yokhama, Toyko, Reading, Salzburg and Monchengladbach creating 237.2 tonnes of CO2 while covering 13,605 miles.
To offset the carbon used on pre-season trips by all Premier League clubs, experts say they would have to plant around 40,896 trees.
Paul Morozzo of Greenpeace UK said: “Football is a low-carbon game – it doesn’t need to be a high-carbon business.
“Football needs to have another look at its priorities, and make sure our survival is one of them.”
A Manchester United spokesperson said the club had been certified since 2012 and “is environmentally-conscious".
“We monitor air carbon reporting through our travel provider, whilst continuously reviewing opportunities for improvement.”
