How polluting is professional football? The environmental footprint of a football match calculated with a life cycle assessment

Purpose The sports industry, including professional football, is increasing its commitment to environmental sustainability both at an institutional and club level. However, there are no scientific studies in the literature that assess whether the environmental impact of football justifies such a commitment. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a football match played by Real Betis Balompié, a professional team in the Spanish Liga. Findings The results demonstrate that there are, in fact, significant environmental impacts and the carbon footprint and other impacts of the match are compared. The paper suggests that football club managers should focus on the transport to and from the stadium, the energy consumption and food and beverages as these have the highest environmental impact. Originality/value By measuring the environmental impacts of a professional football match using an LCA for the first time ever, this study offers actionable insights for football clubs to enhance sustainability and bridge significant research gaps in sports ecology.