Just days after the annual celebration of World Environment Day, Birmingham County FA has launched its ‘Save Today, Play Tomorrow’ programme, its over-arching strategy for the next four years to create and support lower-carbon football in the West Midlands.

Save Today, Play Tomorrow (STPT) is a series of planned initiatives, strategic partnerships and infrastructure investment that fall under four key themes - health and wellbeing, positive education, climate action and reconnecting football with nature.

As a governing body, Birmingham County FA (BCFA) recognises the need to take action now to ensure the beautiful game significantly reduces its environmental impact, whilst helping to educate those involved in football at all levels to make informed decisions that will shape how much future generations will be able to enjoy the game.

The aims of the initial four-year strategy are to stimulate conversations and positive action about the role football must play in addressing climate change. Furthermore, it is designed to innovate and partner, to include goals and provide best practice guides, carbon literacy training, education and infrastructure support to the 1,200 football clubs, 4,780 teams, 1,100 match officials and almost 70,000 registered players that fall under its remit across all formats of the game, with the greater proportion falling under what is commonly known as ‘grassroots.’

As part of STPT, Birmingham County FA has already announced partnerships with Birmingham Energy Initiative, Smol, Planet Super League and Pledgeball, with many more in the pipeline. 

Richard Lindsay, Business Insights Manager at Birmingham County FA and Project Lead for Save Today, Play Tomorrow, said: “Our long-term goal with Save Today, Play Tomorrow is to play our part in protecting future generations’ ability to enjoy this incredible game, which is such an important part of our community and identity for so many people. However, we also have a duty to support our current players; many of whose quality of life is already impacted by air quality issues, fuel poverty and environmental degradation.”

In February 2021 Birmingham County FA were accepted as signatories to the UN’s Sport for Climate Action Framework. Save Today, Play Tomorrow now forms the cornerstone of BCFA’s statement of intent to connect positive climate action with grassroots football and support leagues, clubs and teams.

For further information about the Save Today, Play Tomorrow programme, please visit the link below:

SAVE TODAY, PLAY TOMORROW