Football For Future: How the Beautiful Game Can Drive Global Climate Adaptation

​Football For Future: How the Beautiful Game Can Drive Global Climate Adaptation

​Football, or soccer, is the world's most popular sport, connecting billions of people across cultures, generations, and borders. Yet climate change is increasingly threatening the communities, infrastructure, and traditions that make the sport possible. From extreme heat and flooding to worsening storms and rising costs of maintaining playing facilities, climate impacts are already affecting football at every level, from local pitches to international tournaments. These same climate risks are also affecting the communities where fans live, work, and play.

​To explore these challenges and opportunities, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and Football For Future will host the event Football For Future: How the Beautiful Game Can Drive Global Climate Adaptation during New York Climate Week 2026. This event will feature the premiere screening of Football For Future's new documentary, Pitches in Peril: Fires in LA – a short documentary exploring climate disruption across World Cup 2026 host nations – followed by a moderated discussion and audience engagement focused on how football can become a powerful catalyst for advancing climate adaptation and disaster resilience.

​The convening will bring together advocates, policymakers, professional and semi-professional footballers, funders, researchers, sports industry leaders, and members of the public to explore how cultural institutions and global sporting events can strengthen public awareness, inspire action, and build support for climate adaptation solutions. By connecting the passion people have for football with the growing need to reduce harm and preserve community and culture, the event seeks to foster dialogue about what it means to preserve the places, traditions, and experiences people care about most.