Celebrating the Greener Game, one year on

But behind the passion and pride lies a growing challenge. Grassroots clubs are increasingly under pressure from rising operational costs, including energy bills and ageing facilities.

That’s why one year ago, The Football Association (The FA) and E.ON Next launched the Greener Game, working in partnership to help grassroots clubs cut costs, reduce their carbon footprint and reinvest into grassroots football.

We’re thrilled to be marking the first anniversary of this five-year programme, which has spent the last 12 months working to make grassroots football more sustainable and energy efficient. From smarter energy use in changing rooms to the solar installations now underway across the country, this year has been spent making a real difference to clubs and their communities.

In celebration of our first year, here’s a look back at everything this vital partnership has achieved so far.

Inspiring change for good

In November 2024, The FA and E.ON Next set out to invest £1.5 million annually into grassroots football over a five-year period. Our goal is to support thousands of clubs by helping them make smarter energy decisions, offering specialist support with green infrastructure upgrades that once felt impossible for clubs run by volunteers, often without dedicated maintenance budgets.

The range of resources available through our dedicated free Energy Support Packs has meant that there is room for many more clubs to start making savings, even without major works. Every action counts when it comes to building a sustainable future, and whether it’s turning down the thermostat or switching to LED bulbs, simple energy-saving choices can make a real, positive difference.

Crucially, money saved on energy bills means there’s more left over for clubs to invest in things like training, equipment and new facilities, supporting the spaces that local communities know and love.

What we’ve delivered

In our first year of operation, the Greener Game has already delivered a number of strong outcomes:

1. Energy audits and club support

• An incredible 250 clubs have registered for the programme;
• With 240 free Energy Packs distributed to clubs right across the country. Energy support packs include tips, recommendations and free plug-devices to help manage energy use, as well as promotional materials for clubs to encourage greener energy habits.
• 70 grassroots clubs have had detailed energy surveys and in-person audits, covering their current usage and recommendations for reducing costs –produced in a free report for each club.
• 22 clubs have already been approved for grant funding and/or installs, following the end of our first phase of applications.

2. Reducing costs and carbon footprint

• Four clubs have already taken part in our pilot phase, all of whom have already begun to see considerable and effective savings.
• For example, several clubs achieved up to a 25% reduction in annual energy costs through solar and battery solutions.
• Over the last twelve months, these clubs have already collectively saved an impressive £9,700.

3. Supporting social impact

• Supporting grassroots football has wider social impact, supporting youth engagement while preserving community health and wellbeing.
• Earlier this year, polling commissioned by E.ON Next revealed that 76% of people in the UK agree that helping local sports clubs go green is a good way for energy companies to give back to local communities.
• The FA estimates that 15.7 million people across England play football regularly, contributing £15.9 billion to society each year.

What’s next?

To date, we’ve had 25 County FAs sign up to the programme, and are expecting to start our second phase of audits in December later this year.

As we look ahead, we know that partnerships like these will be essential to reducing bills, moving closer to net zero and creating jobs and opportunities that benefit communities and local people. By combining innovation with on-the-ground action, we can build a future where more affordable, more sustainable energy is possible for every home, business and community across the country.

Here’s to another year of investing in the beautiful, greener game.