Celebrating football’s 12 green saves of Christmas from Chelsea, Liverpool and beyond | OneFootball

The festive season is usually a time for excess, but football has increasingly shown that celebration and sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Across Europe and beyond, clubs, supporters and former players are using the game’s reach to make meaningful environmental and social change.

In the spirit of goodwill – and borrowing shamelessly from a familiar carol – here are football’s 12 eco saves of Christmas: moments, projects and commitments that deserve to be celebrated as 2025 draws to a close.

Forest Green Rovers remain the gold standard. Certified carbon neutral by the UN and recognised by FIFA as the world’s greenest football club, FGR continue to lead by example. From a fully vegan menu to organic pitch maintenance and plans for an all-wooden stadium, sustainability is not an add-on at Forest Green – it is the point.

Brentford: Sustaina-Bees

Brentford’s Sustaina-Bees project stands out precisely because it is fan-led. Born from supporter groups working in partnership with the club, the initiative uses Brentford’s ‘Bees’ identity to promote biodiversity and environmental awareness around the Community Stadium.

Fans have helped drive the installation of beehives, the creation of wildflower areas and educational outreach with local schools, ensuring the project reflects community priorities rather than a top-down corporate strategy. Sustaina-Bees shows how engaged supporters, given space and backing, can turn passion for a club into meaningful environmental action.

Manchester City: Solar power at the City Football Academy

Manchester City’s Etihad Campus is now home to one of the largest solar installations in English football. Thousands of solar panels generate renewable electricity for the City Football Academy, reducing reliance on the grid and cutting emissions. The project forms part of City Football Group’s wider sustainability strategy, which includes commitments to net-zero operations and improved energy efficiency across its global sites.

Tottenham Hotspur: A stadium built for the future

Tottenham’s stadium is often lauded for its architecture, but its sustainability credentials are just as impressive. The ground uses 100% renewable electricity, low-flow water systems, rainwater harvesting and extensive waste segregation. Spurs – who currently sit an impressive fifth in the Pledgeball League – also work with suppliers to reduce single-use plastics and have embedded sustainability standards into matchday operations.

Ajax: Solar panels and battery storage in Amsterdam

Ajax’s Johan Cruyff Arena has long been a pioneer. Its rooftop solar panels are paired with a large-scale battery storage system, famously incorporating repurposed electric vehicle batteries. This allows the stadium to store renewable energy, stabilise the local grid and even provide back-up power to the surrounding neighbourhood when needed.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: ‘Green hedging’ in transfers

Wolves’ use of ‘green hedging’ has set them apart in football finance circles. By factoring environmental considerations into transfer dealings – including carbon offsetting for travel and longer-term planning to reduce squad churn – they have sought to mitigate the hidden environmental cost of the transfer market, a rarely discussed but significant contributor to football’s footprint.

Dartford FC: Brad’s Pit

At non-league level, Dartford FC’s community garden, known as Brad’s Pit, shows what can be achieved without vast resources. Built on unused land near the club, the garden provides food-growing space, wildlife habitats and a focal point for community engagement. It stands as a reminder that sustainability is not exclusive to elite football.

Borussia Dortmund: Storm 09

Brighton have consistently encouraged greener travel to the Amex Stadium. Incentives for public transport use, bike facilities and partnerships with local authorities have reduced car dependency on matchdays. The club’s travel strategy is often cited as best practice in balancing fan access with environmental responsibility.

Liverpool: Reds for Blue

Liverpool’s ‘Reds for Blue’ campaign connects the club’s sustainability work with marine conservation, supporting clean water initiatives and plastic reduction efforts. Aligned with the club’s wider ‘The Red Way’ strategy, the campaign reflects Liverpool’s attempt to integrate environmental action into its global brand and community programmes.

Chelsea: Real-time energy monitoring at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have invested in a real-time energy monitoring system at Stamford Bridge, allowing the club to track, analyse and reduce energy consumption during events. By identifying inefficiencies instantly, the system supports smarter decision-making and incremental reductions in emissions, a practical step towards more sustainable stadium operations.

None of these initiatives will save the planet on their own. But together, they show a sport slowly waking up to its responsibilities and its potential. In a season of goodwill, these are football’s eco saves worth applauding.