As Ireland’s largest stadium and the fourth largest in Europe, welcoming more than 1.5 million visitors each year, Croke Park operates at a scale that brings both influence and responsibility.

Responding to questions from Global Sustainable Sport, Colin O’Brien, Sustainability Manager at Croke Park, was clear about what drives the agenda:

“We are driven by responsibility and opportunity; responsibility as Ireland’s largest stadium and the flagship venue of the Gaelic Athletic Association to lead by example on climate action, and opportunity to use our platform to positively influence over 1.5 million visitors each year.”

For Croke Park, success is increasingly defined by evidence.

“Success means seeing measurable results across all our focus areas; reducing energy use, water consumption, waste and our overall carbon footprint, all in line with our Science Based Targets initiative commitments, while strengthening community impact.”

From Commitment to Science-Based Action

A defining milestone in 2025 was formal approval of Croke Park’s Science Based Targets (SBTi).

The stadium has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50.4% by 2032 and Scope 3 emissions by 30% over the same period, supported by a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap to 2050.

O’Brien acknowledges both ambition and realism:

“We have 2032 targets as part of our SBTi-approved near-term goals… These are supported by a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap. While aware of the challenges ahead, we are confident in overcoming them.”

Scope 3 emissions — particularly fan travel — remain the defining challenge, accounting for approximately 95% of the stadium’s total footprint.

“Achieving Scope 3 targets… will rely on close collaboration with visitors, partners, suppliers, and government bodies to influence travel choices.”

The transparency around this challenge signals a venue operating with increasing maturity.

Infrastructure That Delivers

Croke Park’s credibility rests not only on targets, but on delivery.

A €2 million LED floodlighting upgrade has reduced energy demand by over 50%. Diesel generators have been replaced with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), cutting associated emissions by up to 90%. All electricity procured is now certified renewable.

Waste performance continues to improve. Overall waste fell by 8% in 2025, food waste dropped by 24%, and single-use plastics were reduced by 50%. The integration of Ireland’s Re-turn deposit scheme diverted over 258,000 containers from landfill, with €38,000 donated to children’s charities.

Water consumption decreased by 10% following investment in rainwater harvesting.

For O’Brien, sustainability is now embedded in capital planning:

“Sustainability is central to these decisions, guiding investments that reduce carbon, improve efficiency, and deliver lasting social and environmental impact.”

Influencing Beyond the Turnstiles

Croke Park’s 50-Mile Menu sources 70% of ingredients locally, shortening supply chains and reinforcing local economic resilience. Carbon scoring on menus provides transparency to visitors.

“We provide carbon scoring on our menus… giving patrons the choice to make more environmentally friendly decisions on match days and events.”

Community investment remains embedded within the model, with €100,000 distributed through the Community Fund in 2025 alongside new neighbourhood clean-up initiatives

Importantly, Croke Park sees its role extending beyond its own footprint.

“Croke Park actively shares the lessons from its sustainability journey to drive replication and scale across the wider sports ecosystem.”

A European Benchmark Moment

The metaphor of the breaking ball captures the moment European sport now faces. The challenge is contested. The pace is accelerating. Leadership depends on positioning and collective effort.

Last week, Global Sustainable Sport examined how Johan Cruijff ArenA is pushing the conversation towards Net Positive ambition. In Dublin, Croke Park is reinforcing the structural foundations that make such ambition credible, science-based targets, board-level oversight, ISO-certified systems and a completed Double Materiality Assessment.Taken together, both venues signal a broader shift in European stadium leadership: from sustainability as narrative to sustainability as system performance.

Croke Park’s 2025 report suggests a venue not simply responding to climate pressures, but embedding accountability, measurement and long-term governance at its core — strengthening its position as one of Europe’s most credible national stadium operators.

As O’Brien concludes:

“While the challenges are significant, we are hugely positive about how we will achieve our goals and the lasting impact they will deliver.”

Winning the breaking ball is not about a single play. It is about sustained possession. And in Dublin, Croke Park is demonstrating that measurable impact, not just ambition, is now central to how it defines success.