Football Relies on EMAS and ECOLABEL to Keep Innovating on Circularity as a Key for Sustainability
The FREE KICKS project is co-ordinated by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA), and is in partnership with FC Porto, Fundación Real Betis Balompie, Malmö FF, Racing Club, Romanian Football Federation European Club Association (ECA) and Sport Positive. It will address the topics of circular economy and environmental sustainability in football organisations.
No organisation in the football world has yet pursued the adoption of EU environmental management tools, such as Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), EU Ecolabel, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) or Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF).
Against this backdrop, the FREE KICKS (Football Relies on EMAS and Ecolabel to Keep Innovating on Circularity as a Key for Sustainability) Project – co-funded by the European Union* – aims to trigger football’s transition towards the goals of the Green Deal and the New Circular Economy Action Plan, at collective and individual levels, by supporting:
The uptake of leading-edge environmental management practices and sustainable organisational models among national football associations and professional clubs, focusing on operational activities. Climate-conscious and environment-friendly behavioural patterns among football organizations.
Project partners will work on three key task areas
Assess the sustainability needs and environmental priorities of the participating football organisations, and three participating project partners will engage in obtaining EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) registration during the project.
Improve the environmental governance of the football supply chain in the participating football organizations.
Calculate the environmental footprint of three partner football organisations through the PEF or OEF methodological standards of the European Commission using a life cycle analysis (LCA).

From these efforts each football organization with the support of SSSA and project partner ECA, will define their own Environmental Improvement Plan.
Sport Positive, the London-based organisation that heads up world-leading Sport Positive Summit, Sport Positive Leagues, The Climate of Sport Podcast, intelligence bulletins, media and support to increase action and ambition on sustainability, climate change, biodiversity and environmental justice in sport, will support the project as communication and dissemination partner. This role will include ensuring the learnings and take-aways from project actions are shared with the world of football and sport, to encourage increased action throughout the community.
Over the project’s 30-month duration, from February 2023 – August 2025, FREE KICKS partners will share progress and learnings via dissemination moments including awareness raising events, a mid-term report and conference, knowledge sharing via podcasts, social media, newsletters and videos and a final report and conference detailing the findings and achievements of the project.
OUR NEWS
RISE: RISE certifies Malmö FF – Sweden’s first eco-labelled football club
The aim was for the clubs to obtain EMAS certification (the European equivalent of ISO 14001). Malmö FF aimed to comply with both EMAS and ISO 14001.
Partners Convene in London for 6th Steering Committee Meeting
FREE KICKS partners convened for the 5th and final Steering Committee meeting at the conclusion of the Sport Positive Summit in London, UK; with Project Co-ordinator Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Communications and Dissemination Partner Sport Positive and football partners European Football Clubs (formerly European Clubs Assocaition), FC Porto, Malmö FF, Racing Club, Real Betis Balompié, and Romanian Football Federation all joining in person.
Final Conference Presented at Sport Positive Summit 2025
On 8th October 2025 in London, the final conference of FREE KICKS* was hosted during Sport Positive Summit 2025. Being open to over 500 on-site attendees and more via live-stream, it brought together the partners of FREE KICKS, as well as EU officials. The conference presented the achievements and key takeaways from the project to sport and football attendees to encourage progress on sustainability in the sport sector.