History will be made in the A-Leagues this weekend when Canberra United host the first ever ‘Green Match’ against Wellington Phoenix in collaboration with Professional Footballers Australia (PFA).
Sunday’s Liberty A-League clash at McKellar Park is the first of two ‘Green Games’, with Brisbane Roar set to host Newcastle Jets in the Isuzu UTE A-League at Suncorp Stadium on April 13 in the other.
The aim of the two matches “will focus on reducing carbon pollution, offsetting unavoidable emissions, introducing new sustainable practices at clubs, and will raise awareness about the relationship between climate change and football”.
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For this weekend, Canberra players and staff will be provided with free electric cars via Uber.
As the home teams, Canberra and Brisbane will promote sustainable practices, including reducing single-use plastics while providing more sustainable football options for fans.
The emissions from Wellington and Newcastle’s flights will be offset by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).
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“I’m so excited for the Green Games coming up. A huge amount of work has been put into these games behind the scenes by the players across the past 12 months, and while it represents a small step, it’s a step in the right direction toward more sustainable practices in the A-Leagues,” said Canberra’s Emma Ilijoski.
“Our hope is that there will be a platform for other clubs across the A-Leagues and our national teams to replicate. Football will need to move towards a carbon neutral future, so the players are doing their bit to start that process.
“As climate change becomes more and more of an issue for players, it’s an opportunity for us to use our platform and showcase some of the changes we can make to reduce our impact.”
