Sunderland will wear a unique crest against Coventry City this weekend, spotlighting the devastating effects of climate change.

As part of Green Football’s ‘Great Save Initiative,’ the Wearside club will join the first-of-its-kind activation alongside hummel, temporarily reviving an iconic symbol of the club's history but doing so with a difference.

The 'ship crest' was used between 1977 and 1997 and reflects the port city's ties to the coast. Now it returns, updated to demonstrate how this relationship may change in years to come, with the club name partially submerged under water.

This small change arrives with a bigger picture in mind. Since 1880, it's estimated that global sea levels have risen around 21-24 centimetres on average, with the highest temperature in any year since 1850 being recorded in 2024.

For Sunderland, the city's pier and marina could be gone by 2050, washing away two iconic pillars of its identity. As for football, a similar fate awaits, with a recent study finding that by the same year, 39 of the 92 clubs in the English Football League face a high risk from climate hazards — with 17 at risk of flooding.

The club are already making changes, from the introduction of a solar farm at their training ground to wearing kits made of 50% plastic. As the climate crisis grows exponentially, they’re helping demonstrate the role football can play in tackling this issue.

You can find out more about the campaign via Sunderland AFC's website.