Gloucester City AFC scores landmark win as 50th club to power up through the Greener Game from England Football, supported by E.ON Next

Gloucester City AFC has scored a major milestone as England’s 50^th grassroots football club to benefit from energy-saving upgrades through the Greener Game programme from England Football, supported by E.ON Next – with the project showing how small businesses nationwide can use the same technologies to make energy more of a competitive asset.

Hitting the 50-club landmark is another significant step forward for the five-year programme supporting grassroots clubs across England and making new energy work for everyone by helping community organisations to cut costs, reduce waste and reinvest savings where they matter most.

The initiative aims to help clubs lower their bills, reduce carbon emissions and keep more money on the pitch by providing expert energy advice, free audits and funded improvements including solar panels, battery storage, insulation and other energy-saving technologies. Helping community organisations to cut costs and reduce waste means they can reinvest savings where they matter most: investing in facilities, equipment and greater opportunities for local people.

Clubs taking part have cut back on their energy consumption by up to a quarter thanks to the Greener Game.

After an initial audit, Gloucester City AFC received a 13.8kWp solar system with a 17.4kWh of battery storage at its New Meadow Park ground, alongside insulation improvements. Together, the measures are projected to cut energy use by around 37,700kWh – the equivalent electricity needs of 14 average UK houses¹ – and should save the club a projected £11,300 a year on energy bills, money that can be diverted back into football, club facilities and wider community activity.

Gloucester City AFC runs several teams across senior men’s, women’s and reserve football as well as youth levels and FA Wildcats, a non-competitive football programme for girls aged 5-11.

Sarah Gordon-Jones, Vice-Chair of Gloucester City AFC, said: "We're delighted to be the 50^th club to benefit from the Greener Game programme – a brilliant result for Gloucester City on and off the pitch. This will make a real difference to the club by reducing our energy costs and improving our long-term sustainability.

"Every pound we save on energy can be reinvested into football, our facilities and our wider community activities. The support we've received has helped us to take an important step forward, and we're excited about the long-term benefits it will deliver."

 James Kendall, The FA's Director of Football Development, said: "Grassroots football clubs are at the heart of communities across England, and the Greener Game is helping to ensure they can continue to thrive for generations to come. Reaching our 50th installation is a fantastic team effort and demonstrates the growing impact the programme is having across the country. Gloucester City AFC is a great example of a club embracing sustainability while creating a stronger future for the players, volunteers and supporters who rely on it."

Scott Somerville, Director of External Affairs at E.ON UK, said: "This is a real landmark moment – 50 clubs supported means thousands of players, volunteers and communities benefitting from one Greener Game. It means 50 community hubs are reducing running costs and creating savings that can be reinvested where they matter most: back into local people, facilities and grassroots football. They are better able to bring people together, create opportunities for young people and provide a sense of belonging. This is what we mean by making new energy work for everyone.

“The same applies to small businesses which can face similar pressures to football clubs: unpredictable bills and limited spending powers. The Greener Game shows how the right advice and technology can make energy a source of real competitive advantage.”

 What small businesses can learn from the Greener Game

The Greener Game is more than a football story. It offers a practical blueprint for small businesses facing the same challenge as grassroots clubs: how to take control of energy costs while investing in a stronger, more sustainable future.

For small businesses, that could mean using solar panels to generate their own electricity, battery storage to make better use of that power, insulation to reduce waste, and smarter tariffs to manage costs more effectively.

Government research found 67%^[2] of small and medium-sized businesses which invest in sustainability measures go on to report reduced operational.

E.ON Next is helping small businesses to take that same practical approach, with solar and battery solutions designed to reduce reliance on the grid, make better use of self-generated power and turn energy from a cost pressure into a business advantage.

E.ON Next’s business solar and battery packages are designed to help small businesses generate their own clean electricity, store excess power for when needed most and reduce exposure to peak-time grid costs. Unused electricity can also be sold back to the grid through E.ON Next’s Smart Export Guarantee tariff.

The Greener Game was launched by The FA and E.ON Next in 2024 to help grassroots football clubs respond to rising energy costs while supporting the transition to a more sustainable future. Through the programme, eligible clubs receive tailored energy audits and recommendations before selected sites are awarded funding for energy-saving upgrades. The programme is investing more than £1.5 million each year and is expected to support around 75 to 100 clubs each year.

Since launching, the Greener Game has supported hundreds of clubs with practical advice and resources to reduce energy use. Energy audits have identified opportunities to install technologies including solar panels, batteries, insulation and heat pumps, helping clubs to lower costs while contributing to a cleaner energy future. Early installations have already delivered savings beyond initial forecasts, providing additional funds that can be reinvested into grassroots sport and community facilities.

As the programme continues to expand, The FA and E.ON Next are encouraging more eligible clubs to get involved and access support that can help them cut costs, reduce emissions and strengthen their role at the heart of local communities – keeping grassroots football fit for the future.

 For more information on The Greener Game, visit: englandfootball.com/greenergame