News article
Sustainability round-up: FIFA, Ascot Racecourse, World Aquatics
This week’s news also features: Lord’s, Nottingham Forest, Real Betis and more…
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has had plans approved to redevelop the Tavern and Allen stands at Lord’s. The London cricket ground will benefit from improved catering, hospitality and accessibility, as well as increased capacity. The project has been designed to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard to keep in line with MCC’s sustainability commitments. The steel framework of the existing Tavern stand will be retained, saving an estimated 613.7 tonnes of CO2.
World football governing body FIFA has announced the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup will take place in January and February 2026. The 16-team tournament will be held every four years.
Premier League football club Nottingham Forest has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with official sustainability partner E.ON, as the club makes a bid to become net-zero. The club and energy company will continue to work on the ‘Football with no Footprint’ project, which includes helping Forest build a sustainability strategy.
A football fan zone in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been constructed entirely from recycled plastic pallets. Spearheaded by Saudi Arabian Logistics, football fans will be able to enjoy Saudi Pro League matches in Riyadh’s Laysen Valley.
The 2024 edition of the Tamuda Bay Eco Triathlon welcomed over 800 participants from more than 20 different countries, but organisers also had another focus: environmental sustainability. Organisers hoped that the event would be a “beacon” of environmental commitment and sustainable development.
Spanish La Liga football club Real Betis’ match against UD Almería last weekend was dubbed a ‘Forever Green’ match. Sunday’s game was the third iteration of the match, with Betis focusing on drought – something that has heavily affected Spain. The club promoted responsible consumption of water, while also debuting two sustainable kits.
Ascot Racecourse has become ECOsmart Silver accredited, which is an industry specific accreditation awarded by Greenpage. It recognises organisations demonstrating a comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability.
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has been awarded a bursary to co-develop its response to the climate and nature crisis. The bursary has been awarded through the Community Climate Action Project in the UK city of Bristol (where the club is based.)
World Aquatics, the International Federation for water sports, has extended its partnership with Thailand Aquatics to prepare international swimmers from the World Aquatics Scholarship Programme.
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