Elliot Arthur-Worsop didn’t just grow up as a Brighton & Hove Albion supporter—he grew up living and breathing the rollercoaster that comes with loving a club through relegations, promotions, and Premier League dreams. But as his relationship with football deepened, so did his awareness of its potential for more than victory on the pitch. Inspired by movements like Common Goal and Kick It Out, Elliot realized football could drive social change. Now, as the founder of Football For Future (FFF), Elliot is tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time: using football to inspire action against climate change. In this interview, he shares his journey, the urgency of FFF’s work, and the critical intersection between sport and sustainability.

Bonito: Elliot, thanks so much for joining us to talk about your fantastic and rapidly growing organization Football for Future!

Elliot: Thanks for having me and sharing our story.

Bonito: Tell us about how your passion for football began and how you were captivated to explore the ways the game could bring about positive changes for society? 

Elliot: I’ve been a lifelong Brighton & Hove Albion fan, experiencing all the ups and downs that come with supporting a club like ours. From relegations and promotions to playoff heartbreak and the eventual rise to the Premier League, my love for the game has been deeply personal and transformative.

Growing up playing football myself, often channeling my inner Zizou, I saw firsthand how football brings people together. But it wasn’t just about playing or watching—it was the powerful social movements that used football as a vehicle for change that inspired me. Organizations like Football Beyond Borders, Common Goal, Kick It Out, and initiatives like Rainbow Laces showed me how the game could address issues like racism, gender inequality, and LGBTQ+ rights. These movements inspired me to explore how football could also play a pivotal role in the climate movement.

Bonito: Football resonates deeply across cultures and continents. In your view, what makes the sport such a universal and emotional connection point for people around the world?

Elliot: Football is not just the most fun and engaging sport, it taps into universal values that resonate across cultures, age groups, and backgrounds. The game embodies teamwork, respect, belief, and the magic of possibility—it reminds us that anything can happen, right up until the last minute. There’s also a certain tribalism and identity that comes with supporting a club or team, creating a sense of belonging that traditional outreach methods often can’t achieve. This mix of joy and loyalty makes football the perfect tool to reach people who might otherwise be hard to engage. Not only is it the funnest game ever, it speaks to important values that cut across all demographics and parts of society. teamwork, respect, belief, magic, fairness, anything is possible until the last minute. also tribalism!

Bonito: Tell us about how Football for Future started and where do you see it 5 years from now?

Elliot: Football For Future started in a pretty organic way. I come from an environmental activism background, and one day I went to a climate demo wearing my Brighton shirt. I grabbed a pizza box and wrote “Brighton Fans for Climate Justice” on the back. The response I got was overwhelming—it really clicked that football and climate could connect in a meaningful way.

At the time, I was studying a master’s in Movement Building at the Institute of Development Studies and started looking deeper into how football could be a vehicle for climate action. Football has already been an amazing platform for causes like food poverty, gender equity, and racial justice, but no one had seriously explored its potential for climate advocacy. I teamed up with a brilliant designer I knew, and Football For Future was born.

Looking five years ahead, I’d love for us to be out of business because that would mean the global football industry has taken serious, proportionate climate action. The sector is starting to move, but it’s a race against time.

Bonito: Where do you see the football for good sector going in the next years in the UK, given its prominence as the host of the worlds biggest football league? 

Elliot: I see the sector leaning more toward branding and purpose-driven business models. The older charitable or non-profit frameworks are becoming outdated, especially when trying to connect with younger audiences. It’s not just about doing good anymore—it’s about communicating that purpose effectively. And with grant funding drying up, partly due to Brexit, there’s going to be a need for more innovative approaches to secure support and engage stakeholders. It’ll be interesting to see how this evolves.

Bonito: We think so too- we also agree that younger audiences are after a certain authenticity when it comes to purpose driven initiatives- feels like there can be a real power in that going forward.

Elliot: Absolutely

Bonito: What do you think of the new UK Football Governance Bill? (For those who don’t know about the bill, it intends to appoint a regulator to ensure that English football is sustainable and resilient for the benefit of fans and the local communities football clubs serve)

Elliot: The Football Governance Bill is an important step, especially if it genuinely prioritizes the interests of players, clubs, and fans. However, it’s vital that environmental sustainability is a key part of its framework. It’s about finding ways to integrate these goals in a way that is realistic and beneficial for the game itself, while addressing broader social and environmental responsibilities.

Bonito: We are seeing this dramatic impact  from climate change already around the world and grassroots football programs are no exceptions. what are some examples of the impact climate change has on grassroots programs and what do you estimate the societal cost of this negative effect on the social services it provides? (here im thinking about the social value of football and the lack of access that climate change is causing- it must have quite a cost to society!).

Elliot: Grassroots football is already feeling the effects of climate change. In the UK alone, it’s estimated that between 62,500 to 120,000 grassroots matches are canceled or postponed each year due to climate-related disruptions. Flooding has become a massive issue—about a third of community pitches are already unplayable for two months of the year. With the Met Office predicting winters up to 30% wetter by 2070, the situation is only going to get worse.

Extreme heat, heavy rain, and scheduling chaos are also factors. This means players miss out on games, affecting both physical and mental health. For smaller clubs, these disruptions can be a death sentence, potentially causing them to fold, which can fracture vital community organizations. And we can’t ignore the fact that women’s football and grassroots programs are particularly vulnerable to these disruptions, exacerbating existing inequalities.

Bonito: It is as you said a race against the clock.

Bonito: Tell us Elliot, what has been the most touching moment thus far in your FFF journey?

Elliot: From a professional standpoint, working with academy players has been one of the most inspiring aspects of my journey. The conversations we have about the future of the planet and the game are incredibly motivating—it’s amazing to think these could be future Premier League or World Cup stars leading the charge for climate action.

On a personal note, one of my favorite moments was having my dad join me at the Eden Project, where I was speaking alongside my good friend, Arsenal goalkeeper Alexei Rojas. It was a special weekend, and it meant a lot to me for my dad to see me in my element, doing something I’m so passionate about.

Bonito: Thanks so much for talking to us today Elliot- the work you do is so fantastic and as a field we are so lucky to have you helping lead the charge towards climate justice and advocacy in our beautiful game.

Elliot: Thanks so much and great to see Bonito growing- great initiative!

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BIO

Name: Elliot Arthur-Worsop

About: Elliot is a climate expert and Sports Industry 30-under-30 Leader. Elliot is founder of Football For Future (FFF), a pioneering non-profit specialising in football, climate awareness and sustainable impact.

FFF have developed industry-leading climate education and training programmes in football, award winning player advocacy campaigns, and sustainability strategies for Premier League clubs and national football leagues.

Partners include Nike, the Premier League, Arsenal, Chelsea and more.

Organization (s): football for future 

Role: founder

Favorite Football (or sport) for good organization apart from your own: common goal!

Favorite Football Club: Brighton!

Dream sport for good organization that you would love to collaborate with on a project: PLCF or common goal again!

 

AT RISK COMMUNITY SPORT ORGANISATIONS AROUND THE
WORLD THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE TAKE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND ACTION

Diverse sport-based community organisations, many based in the most vulnerable areas on Earth due to the effects of climate change, have celebrated the arrival of Fields of Change, the first ever sustainability resource for grassroots organisations. This unique training resource is designed to inspire sport for good organisations worldwide to integrate environmental sustainability into their projects and communities.

Fields of Change was created by environmental non-profit Football For Future and Common Goal, the social and environmental impact collective in global football, and has been supported by adidas under the company’s Move for the Planet platform. Sport is increasingly impacted by climate change – freezing and flooding pitches, extreme heat affecting athlete health, and limited access to sport for vulnerable communities are just a few of the challenges facing the sector. With sport playing a crucial role in communities worldwide, the arrival of the Fields of Change handbook provides organisations for the first time with the tools to adapt to these challenges while driving meaningful environmental action. The innovation has been celebrated by community leaders and elite athletes alike.

Alexei Rojas, the Colombia international and Arsenal Goalkeeper, said: “Sport is such a vital part of South America’s cultural identity that we should take a leadership position in advancing the conversation around climate action to take solid steps collectively every single day, no matter how modest. The Fields of Change handbook is such an inspiring step forward as it can be embraced by all sport-based organisations at the heart of our communities throughout the continent, while also being part of a wider international collective of change makers in sport.”

Emilio Martinez, regional project manager for love.fútbol in Mexico City said: “With higher rates of drought, coupled with a changing rainy season pattern, we are already seeing the effects of climate change on the communities we work in, and we want to be amongst the first groups taking meaningful action from the grassroots upwards when it comes to how community sports space creation can be a part of the solution. The Fields of Change handbook serves as a guide for us to take action, both here locally, and also collectively with other community organisations around the world. Operating in regions that are amongst the highest areas of risk of negative climate impact, we see an important opportunity for love.fútbol to take a leadership role in showing the rest of the sports industry what can be achieved if we all work together.”

Sofie Junge Pedersen, the Denmark international and Inter Milan midfielder said: “This is an important step in empowering grassroots sport organisations worldwide to take tangible action against climate change, with many of them facing the very real and urgent risk of its harshest impacts. The Fields of Change handbook is a game-changer, enabling grassroots sport to unite and work collaboratively in taking climate action. Climate change is a challenge for all of humanity, and we can only make meaningful progress if we move forward together, one step at a time.”

Greg Preston, Head of Football for Indochina Starfish Foundation in Cambodia said: “Fields of Change is a positive and groundbreaking initiative that allows us to embed sustainability into the heart of our community. It gives us all a pathway to educate and take action and allows us to be an active part of the growing community in international sport committed to driving climate action in and through sport.”

The Fields Of Change handbook compiles groundbreaking insights from learning sessions delivered to Move for the Planet grantees, specifically a collaboration of nine global sport for good organisations across eight countries and four continents. This handbook serves as an essential guide for sports organisations on their journey toward sustainability, offering practical tools and strategies for implementing environmental best practices. The handbook covers key sustainability topics, including:

● Understanding Sustainability and Climate Change: Explaining the unprecedented rate of environmental change, and how sport can respond to climate challenges on human timescales.● Sustainability in Sport: Highlighting how sport can lead both operationally and socially toward a sustainable future.
● Sustainable Infrastructure: Guiding organisations on how to measure, mitigate, and adapt their infrastructure to reduce environmental impacts.
● Waste Management: Offering effective systems for waste reduction, recycling, and responsible disposal.
● Climate Communication: Utilising sport’s global influence to communicate environmental messages and inspire positive behaviour changes.
● Sport and Sustainability Leadership: Encouraging athletes, clubs, and governing bodies to take a leadership role in climate action.

The Fields of Change handbook has already seen positive impacts, with organisations like Organization Earth in Greece tackling plastic pollution and recycling in refugee camps, and Fútbol con Corazón in Colombia, which is launching a recycling business to repurpose plastic waste.

Adidas has contributed through its Move for the Planet initiative, funding global projects that educate and engage communities on sustainability and enhance sports facilities to withstand extreme weather conditions. This initiative showcases the collective power of the sporting community to drive change, with sport for good organisations uniquely positioned to influence local communities and build a more sustainable future.

Elliot Arthur-Worsop, Football For Future Founder said: “Fields of Change is a significant milestone in the journey toward sustainable sport. For the first time, community sports organisations have a resource that empowers them to protect their communities, support their environment, and lead the way in climate action. Through this handbook, we’re seeing the immense potential of sport to not only inspire but also actively drive change at the very heart of our communities. With support from adidas and in partnership with Common Goal, we’ve created something that goes beyond the pitch – it’s about building a legacy of resilience and sustainability for future generations”.

Jérémy Houssin, Common Goal Sustainability and Environmental Lead said: “Sport is a powerful unifier, and through Fields of Change, we’re mobilising that power to respond to one of humanity’s biggest challenges: climate change. This handbook equips community organisations with the knowledge and practical tools to tackle environmental issues, helping them become local leaders in climate action. We are thrilled to have collaborated with Football For Future and adidas on this project, showing that even small steps, taken together, can spark global momentum. This resource is a testament to what’s possible when we prioritise our planet’s future and work together across all levels of sport”.

The State of Play: Sport and Climate Change
● Global Wildlife Decline: Since Pelé lifted the 1970 FIFA World Cup, there has been on average almost a 70% decline in the populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, with human activities as the leading cause.

● Oceans in Crisis: By the time Coco Gauff is 50 years old in 2054, plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish.

● Sport’s Carbon Footprint: The global annual CO2 equivalent emissions from sport is estimated to be as much as 300 million tonnes – equivalent to the annual emissions of France.

● Olympic Concerns: Without rapid CO2 emission reductions, by the time of the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, the world will have likely exceeded the 1.5°C global average temperature rise target of the Paris Agreement, with potentially irreversible climatic consequences.

Despite these challenges, sport holds immense power to drive positive change. The Fields Of Change handbook – the first resource of its kind – offers sport for good organisations the tools and guidance to lead sustainability efforts and create a lasting impact.

visit Football for Future here to learn more and download the guide