Campaigners are calling on UEFA to take decisive action against clubs using airlines as sponsors, following the release of concerning new statistics.
Currently, airlines sponsor twelve teams in the Champions League, with Turkish Airlines backing the competition itself. Real-Madrid, set to face Borussia Dortmund in final at Wembley, will feature Emirates on their shirts, while Eurowings sponsors Dortmund. Airline sponsorship also prominently features in football through clubs like Manchester City and Arsenal. Who have named their stadiums after Etihad and Emirates, respectively, and Paris Saint-Germain, which sports Qatar Airways on their kits.
The campaigners highlight the significant environmental impact of these sponsorships. Aviation emissions are projected to double or triple by 2050, potentially consuming up to 25% of the global carbon budget necessary to limit global warming to below 1.5°C. Football is already experiencing the effects of climate change, with extreme temperatures and flooding affecting communities worldwide.
Despite the growing sustainability movement within football, top governing bodies have been slow to take substantial action. Activists from Badvertising, Fossil Free Football, and the Game Changer Sponsorship Pledge argue that sponsorships from the fossil fuel industry and airlines should be banned, similar to the historical ban on tobacco advertising due to its harmful effects. Their research indicates that airline sponsorship deals for Champions League teams this season have generated a combined 14.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Equivalent to one of the ten worst-emitting coal power plants in Europe and North America.
These sponsorships are financially significant, with a combined annual value of at least €366 million (£311 million). According to the Sportsbusiness Sponsorship Database 2024. This financial allure often overshadows ethical considerations, as seen with clubs displaying the names of obscure Asian betting companies.
Campaigners are urging UEFA to implement a tobacco-style advertising ban for polluting sponsors and to honor its commitment to the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework, which advocates for sustainable and responsible consumption. They also call for reforms to the congested fixture schedule to promote a more regional calendar.
Freddie Daley from the Badvertising campaign stated, “Sport was once choking on tobacco sponsorships; now it is drowning in oil. Just like it did with tobacco, football must cut ties with companies that are putting the future of the game. Its players, and its fans at risk. Football has vast potential to stimulate greater ambition on climate and mobilize billions of football fans to build a more sustainable future. One of the first steps in this journey must be ending fossil fuel sponsorship.”
Peter Crisp from Fossil Free Football added, “From the grassroots all the way up to the elite. The climate crisis presents deep risks to a sport reliant on a stable climate. UEFA is keen to speak about the importance of sustainability, but actions speak louder than words. It’s time to deny polluting sponsors the huge platform that football provides.”
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