UEFA Euro 2024:
Which country championed climate?
The Euro 2024 was set to be the ‘greenest ever’ with supporter emissions for the summer’s championship down considerably.
After coming under criticism four years ago for hosting the Euros in multiple different countries, UEFA sought to cluster group stage matches to reduce the amount of travelling done by teams and fans.
Deutsche Bahn for its part offered fans with a match ticket reduced prices for travel around the country. It had never been easier to travel to a major sporting event by train.
Europe’s leading national football teams who competed, could have cut their travel emissions by nearly 60% if they avoided flying.
In a tournament where young superstars were born and others faded away, we look to these icons to show an example.
How did the teams perform in terms of sustainable travel?
Watch the video
Media coverage
In March 2024, Travel Smart, and 14 other organisations sent letters to the national football federations to ask the teams to avoid flying during the Euro 2024. We received answers from 5 national federations. Only 2 of them, the German and the Swiss teams, committed to avoid flying during the group phase in Germany. For its part, the Portuguese team shifted to road for 2 out of the 3 games, travelling by coach. To travel to Germany, the Swiss team didn’t take a plane, and travelled by train.
Take a look at the letters:
