Forest Green Rovers – Kicking Off a Greener Future in Sport

Founded in 1889, Forest Green Rovers competes in England’s fifth division. It’s legacy, however, reaches far beyond the football pitch. Under the stewardship of green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince, the club has steadily redefined what it means to be sustainable in modern sport.

In 2015, Forest Green Rovers became the world’s first vegan football club, replacing traditional matchday grub with a plant-based menu that champions both health and environmental responsibility[1]. Yet this innovation was just the beginning. The club now operates entirely on renewable energy—20% supplied by its own solar panels and the remainder generated by an on-site windmill[2].

Innovation permeates every aspect of the club. Kits are crafted from repurposed materials such as used coffee grounds, bamboo, and recycled plastics. The pitch, grown without pesticides, is maintained with a solar-powered electric lawnmower[3]. These measures have not only set industry benchmarks but have also earned the club recognition from the UN as the world’s first carbon neutral football club, along with FIFA’s accolade as the ‘greenest football club in the world’[4].

Looking forward, plans for a new 5,000-seat stadium have received approval from Stroud Council [5] Designed by the renowned architectural practice Zaha Hadid, the upcoming stadium will be constructed entirely from wood and engineered for exceptional energy efficiency and resilience against extreme weather [6]. This project promises to push the boundaries of sustainable design even further.

Yet, as impressive as these achievements are, they prompt a broader question: if a club with modest resources and a forward-thinking ethos can lead the charge in sustainability, why does the wider sports industry lag behind? Is it the fear of financial risk, a lack of fan support, or insufficient incentives from governing bodies that holds others back? Forest Green Rovers challenges us to reconsider whether the relentless pursuit of profit and prestige is overshadowing our collective responsibility to the planet.

At kitround, we see clubs like Forest Green Rovers as proof that sport can be a powerful force for environmental change. Their efforts highlight the potential for circular thinking in not only football, but in sports as a whole. The ethos of repurposing, reusing, and reducing waste at every opportunity aligns with our own mission to extend the life cycle of sports gear, making sustainable choices more accessible to athletes and fans alike.

In its quest to integrate sustainability throughout all levels of its operations, Forest Green Rovers not only sets a high standard but also ignites a vital conversation about the future of sports. As global environmental concerns grow, the club’s journey serves as both a benchmark and a call to action: can the sporting world evolve to meet the urgent demands of our time, turning every game into a step toward a greener future?

[1] Forest Green Rovers – The First Ever Vegan Football Club!

[2] Creating the Greenest Football Club in the World – Forest Green Rovers | United Kingdom | UNFCCC

[3] Robot lawn mower used by Forest Green Rovers football club – BBC News

[4] Another Way: The Forest Green Rovers story

[5] Forest Green Rovers’ eco wooden football stadium set to go ahead – BBC News

[6] Forest Green Rovers Eco Park Stadium – Zaha Hadid Architects