The continued partnership will aim to minimise the impact of football on the environment through the three Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle. This year’s approach to waste is part of the goal of the UEFA Champions League Finals to become zero waste to landfill by 2026. 

Eindhoven’s PSV Stadium in the Netherlands is set to host the Women’s UCL final on June 3, while Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Turkey will host the UCL final on June 10. 

The UCL final will utilise fully recyclable, zero plastic and biodegradable fibre cups, while the Women’s UCL final will implement returnable packaging for food and drinks. Fans will pay a €2 deposit, with Doritos nachos served in returnable trays.  

In Istanbul, PepsiCo will partner with scalable reuse system Turn to use smart technology that will house 48,000 Turn smart cups and bin operations at Champions Festival sampling stands. All PepsiCo food and beverage packaging supplied at events will be 100% recyclable, and Atatürk Olympic Stadium will include 220 recycling bins for post-even clean-up.

Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Europe, at PepsiCo, said: “As one of the world’s most respected food and beverage companies, PepsiCo is continuously aiming to use its reach and influence to change the way society makes, uses and disposes of packaging. 

“We are honoured to play a key role in both the men’s and women’s UEFA Champions League finals. It is a privilege to use football as a vehicle to drive positive change on and off the pitch, whilst still providing fans with an unforgettable experience.”

Michele Uva, UEFA’s Social and Environmental Sustainability Director, added: “UEFA is delighted to continue the collaboration with PepsiCo to deploy circular economy practices across these two important finals. Our actions are focused on finding and disseminating solutions applicable to football matches taking place across national associations, leagues and clubs in Europe to play our part in tackling environmental challenges.”

PepsiCo will also support community impact through subsidiary brands Gatorade’s 5V5 global tournaments and Lay’s RePlay, an initiative created in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children. This scheme helps to create football pitches using empty crisp packets, while the 5V5 facilitates formative experiences for young amateur footballers. This year’s global 5v5 tournament final will take place ahead of the Women’s UCL and UCL finals.

The Lay’s RePlay initiative will see a new pitch unveiled in Turkey ahead of the final, with the pitch designed to keep environmental impact to a minimum. For example, the turf and shock pad layers are 100% recyclable at the end of their lifespan.

Mark Kirkham, Senior Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Global Beverages at PepsiCo, said: “Our partnership with UEFA and the work we are doing provides an incredible opportunity to elevate the conversation around recycling and create sustainable changes. We are excited about the future and look forward to a strong partnership with UEFA as they work towards the ultimate goal of having all UCL finals be zero waste to landfill by 2026.”

Image: Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash