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Spurs and Chelsea play world’s first net zero carbon elite football match

Published September 13, 2021

Spurs and Chelsea play world’s first net zero carbon elite football match

The next Tottenham Hotspur fixture against Chelsea is to be the world’s first net zero carbon football game at an elite level.

The match against Chelsea on Sunday 19 September aims to be net zero. All direct emissions will be reduced as much as possible, with the remainder offset through natural projects that remove emissions from the atmosphere.

The clubs want the game to raise awareness of climate change and inspire football fans to reduce their carbon footprint. The fixture is supported by Sky, COP26 and the Premier League.

For the Chelsea match, Spurs and Sky will work to minimise emissions from matchday activity such as energy used to power the game, travel to and from the stadium for both fans and clubs, and dietary choices at the stadium.

The Spurs squad will travel to the match by coach. Chelsea is asking all its staff to travel across London sustainably. Both sets of players will head to the stadium on a coach that is running on biofuel.

The club is encouraging fans attending the Chelsea match to take sustainable actions on the day, including:

  • Using public transport, including local trains, a free matchday shuttle bus and a net zero carbon regional coach service from Big Green Coach. The Club has a target of no more than 23 per cent of supporters travelling by private car on matchday.
  • Cycling to the match – the Club has provision for up to 180 bikes to be parked at St Francis De Sales School and Tottenham Community Sports Centre.
  • Choosing locally sourced, plant-based food options – all food served inside the stadium is locally sourced. Plant-based options are also available across the stadium
  • Recycling waste –recycling instructions are marked on stadium bins, as well as a reusable beer cup scheme.

For those emissions which remain, Sky is working with Natural Capital Partners to support a community reforestation in East Africa, and creating new UK native woodlands to support the UK’s net zero objectives. The Club and Sky will also plant trees locally to the stadium later this year.

At Spurs’ 2021/22 season opening fixture against Manchester City, carbon measurement specialists RSK used surveys to gather baseline data about emissions created by a typical match. RSK measured fan journeys, squad journeys, energy and waste at the stadium and matchday employee commutes.





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