Climate change, catastrophe and hope in football fandom: football as an island of hope in a warming sea of despair

The catastrophic extent and damaging consequences of anthropogenic climate change becoming unequivocal. Sports in general, and football in particular, are contributing to the problem. Football has already been dramatically impacted by the effects of climate change through flooded pitches, match cancellations and the negative impact on training and grassroots facilities. Against this background, climate change is not only an environmental but a social problem and truly tackling it requires deeper societal transformations and the public’s acceptance and support for those. Football fans constitute one aspect of the public, but a sizable aspect. Indeed, they represent one of the largest collectives within contemporary society. This chapter will argue that communicating climate change based on fans’ values and identities is one way to address the catastrophe. Mobilising football fans is a way of pushing governing bodies and clubs to do more, and for them to push for structural change.