News article
UEFA Euro 2024 reduces carbon footprint
UEFA Euro 2024’s sustainability efforts have led to a 21% reduction in carbon emissions compared to organisers’ initial forecast.
Additionally, the football tournament saw a 36% reduction in waste compared to the 2016 edition.
Euro 2024 welcomed 24 men’s national teams to Germany, taking place from June 14 to July 14. The tournament was won by Spain.
A key objective was to reduce emissions from travel, which was achieved by providing and advocating for public and active transport options for fans to reach games. Matches in the group stage were also clustered into regional groups, helping to minimise air travel by 75% compared to Euro 2016.
The UEFA Euro 2024 Climate Fund was established, which saw a collective €7m donated to regional football associations in Germany to support their own sustainability initiatives.
Environmental sustainability was not the only branch of Euro 2024’s efforts, with a bid to improve the experience for fans from all backgrounds.
Enhanced stadium services allowed more than 10,000 disabled fans to comfortably attend live matches, while rapid response initiatives helped to tackle abuse and discrimination in real-time. Some 387,000 tickets were made available for €30 to be more accessible, and 10 venues offered healthier food and beverages to promote positive wellbeing.
"Guided by three principles – ambition, action, and accountability – Euro 2024 proved how football can lead by example and we have opened a path toward a new, modern way of shaping a sport event."
“UEFA EURO 2024 was not just a sports event, it was a global movement. Over 2.67 million fans filled ten stadiums across Germany, while 5.4 billion viewers tuned in worldwide. But our ambition was more than numbers. This tournament’s heartbeat was its drive for sustainability, inclusion, and integrity. Guided by three principles – ambition, action, and accountability – Euro 2024 proved how football can lead by example and we have opened a path toward a new, modern way of shaping a sport event,” commented Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president.
Bernd Neuendorf, President of the German Football Federation (DFB), added: “We succeeded in making sustainability a key issue at Euro 2024, and we are proud of that. It is an achievement that many actors deserve credit for – the organisers from UEFA and EURO 2024 GmbH, the German Government, and the host cities.
“But above all the fans, who contributed to this success in such large numbers not out of necessity, but out of conviction. For the DFB, this success is both a challenge and an obligation. We are going to continue pushing the issue of sustainability. It will naturally be an integral part of our bid to host the 2029 UEFA Women’s European Championship.”