Taking place at Birmingham County FA’s headquarters between Friday 15 and Monday 18 July, Spirit of Football will be delivering a series of workshops to professional and grassroots football clubs in the Birmingham county region, helping to educate and inspire positive actions and messaging on climate change through the lens of football. 
At the heart of these workshops will be ‘The Ball’ – a football which is being toured around the world as a symbol for fair play, gender equality, climate action and sustainability. This ball is a significant part of Spirit of Football’s messaging, with signatures and climate pledges from the football community acting as important commitments to individual and collective climate action through the power of football. 

During the workshops, participants will be encouraged to link climate change to their passion of football, while gaining knowledge about environmental sustainability and the role they can all play through their own behaviours and actions.

Interactive, creative and team-orientated, the workshops will take participants through a creative process whereby they partake in team building games and exercises, research football-related climate facts, then recognise and share their own sustainable behaviours. Clubs can map out climate action in their region and set individual targets, as well as climate action goals for their immediate and wider environment. 

This is the latest in a long series of climate change activities being championed by Birmingham County FA, following the launch of their ‘Save Today, Play Tomorrow’ programme; an initial four-year strategy to create and support lower-carbon football in the West Midlands. 

Richard Lindsay, Business Insights Manager at Birmingham County FA and Project Lead for Save Today, Play Tomorrow, said: “We are proud to be working with the Spirit of Football and be part of the “One Ball” journey. The aim of these workshops is to give our grassroots clubs the knowledge and confidence they need to consider making fundamental changes in how they operate that supports climate positive football, and helps to safeguard the game for future generations.”   

Andrew Aris, Director or Spirit of Football, added: “Spirit of Football is excited to collaborate with the Birmingham County FA, whose commitment to sustainability in football is a shining example for other governing bodies in football and sports at large. We aim is to share such positive examples of the football community making a difference in our "One Ball, One World" climate action workshops. We aim to create a wave of climate action inspired by football across the footballing world.”

Jürgen Klopp, Spirit of Football’s Fair Play Ambassador, said: “Together we want to get this fair play ball rolling. It is a ball for us all. Be part of our team. Everyone can play. Respect your teammates, your opponents and the environment. One Ball, One World.”

Football clubs can book onto these workshops simply by clicking the link HERE

To find out more about Spirit of Football, head to spiritoffootball.com