Football For Future is linking up with a group of organisations working in English football to pressure the government to consider the impact of climate change on the sport, as part of bold new plans to improve the game.

A recently published fan-led review of English football – a 10-point plan to improve the national game following recent crises like the demise of Bury FC and the rise of the European Super League – is being taken seriously by the UK government, but it doesn't consider how football is being impacted by environmental instability.

Football For Future has connected with Forest Green Rovers, Pledgeball and BASIS to put environmental sustainability back on the agenda, with FGR FC chairman Dale Vince saying the government is missing a "massive open goal" by not looking at climate change's relationship with football:

"This is an absolutely historic moment for football in our country, we‘re about to have a big reset of the ‘rules of the game’ – off the pitch – and not adding sustainable criteria now, given all the targets we have as a country and as a world and the clear need for more action from all sectors – is just the most massive open goal – about to be missed.

On top of this we know football is a powerful platform and influencer, even on this topic – our experience at FGR shows this. The environment has to be added to the white paper – it just has to be. Football is about to get a regulator, it has to regulate environmental performance alongside the other vital criteria. Only good can come from that."

The independent fan-led review initially made 10 recommendations focused on financial stability at clubs, fan input, equality, inclusion, diversity and welfare – but Football For Future believes it can also make concrete recommendations on how football can become more environmentally sustainable.

They're calling on government recommendations to include Environment Sustainability Action Plans for every club and a new owners' and directors' test that assesses how successful prospective owners have been at embedding enviornmental sustainability in their previous work.

Barney Weston, Football For Future Co-Director, said: "We are calling on the government to consult the football and climate sector, to incorporate environmental sustainability into the fan-led review white paper - and support English football to become more environmentally sustainable.

In our experience - clubs often want to improve their environmental performance, but feel they lack the knowledge, skills, and finance to do it. This is the government’s chance to support them!"

Find out more about Football For Future's work and join their mission here.