Government must build sustainability into new rules, says Football for Future

Football will miss an "open goal" if environmental sustainability does not form part of its fan-led review into the game, campaigners have warned.

The UK government is set to introduce a regulator after endorsing suggestions made as part of a review of the sport.

The review features 10 suggestions, though sustainability charity Football For Future (FFF) said there was a lack of focus on environmental standards.

It believes sustainability can be effectively built into the plan.

FFF is backed by the British Association for Sustainable Sport, the charity Pledgeball, and Forest Green Rovers, the world's greenest club according to governing body Fifa.

Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince said: "This is an absolutely historic moment for football in our country, we're about to have a big reset of the 'rules of the game' - off the pitch - and not adding sustainable criteria now, given all the targets we have as a country and as a world and the clear need for more action from all sectors - is just the most massive open goal - about to be missed.

"The environment has to be added to the white paper - it just has to be."

FFF says a relationship between the sport and climate change is clear, warning "a quarter of professional clubs in England could be flooded on a regular basis by 2050" and that the "average grassroots pitch in England already loses five weeks a season to bad weather".

Football's fan-led review was chaired by former sports minister Tracey Crouch following a number of high-profile crises in the sport, such as the failed European Super League and the collapse of Bury FC.

Its 10 recommendations focused on financial stability at clubs, fan input, equality, inclusion, diversity and welfare.

The government has already said a new regulator will be introduced and will have financial oversight of clubs, while being capable of handing out punishments.

FFF believes introducing an environmental focus will enhance the review's current objectives and has called on other organisations to collaborate in pushing for such change.

The organisation says clubs "want to improve environmental performance, but feel they lack the knowledge, skills, and finance to do it".

FFF co-director Barney Weston said: "We are calling on the government to consult the football and climate sector, to incorporate environmental sustainability into the fan-led review white paper - and support English football to become more environmentally sustainable.

"In our experience - clubs often want to improve their environmental performance, but feel they lack the knowledge, skills, and finance to do it. This is the government's chance to support them."