In collaboration with our partner charity Exeter City Community Trust, we have joined CUP26 - a tournament by Planet Super League with the support of Count Us In, encouraging football fans to take climate action.
With approximately 3.5 billion football fans, CUP26 harnesses the global passion for the sport to fight climate change on an unprecedented scale.
In CUP26 fans sign up for free at cup26.co.uk and score goals for their club by completing planet-protecting activities. Clubs play weekly fixtures against their rivals, the supporters who score the most goals win the match. There are 100 goal-scoring activities on the website, including having a delicious plant-based meal, cycling and walking, and having a screen-free evening. The Planet Super League trophy will be awarded to the tournament winner in the first week of COP26.
CUP26 is the biggest ever football fan campaign focussed on climate change. Exeter City is joining 48 other football club community organisations, including historic rivalries like Tottenham and Arsenal, and others like Southampton, Chesterfield and Northampton coming together to fight climate change.
The tournament kicks off as the world builds up to COP26, with football clubs leveraging the passion of their fans, raising awareness, driving citizen climate action, and creating real momentum ahead of the climate conference.
CUP26 is supported by the UK Government’s campaign Together for Our Planet as well as media partner Sky. At a critical time for the planet it shows that everyday fans, families and the wider public care about climate change and are willing to do their part. But they want their leaders to do more too, and deliver solutions at COP26 that will prevent further climate change.
City Skipper Matt Jay said: “We are delighted to see the Exeter City Community Trust lead the way on this initiative here in Exeter. Not only is it a great way to help to encourage positive activities to help our environment but COP26 also provides a chance for us all to get involved and show once again the difference our supporters make here in Exeter, both on and off the pitch.
Tom Gribbin, CEO of Planet Super League said: CUP26 is our largest tournament, with over half the professional football clubs in the UK taking part. Fans of all ages can represent their club, do their bit for the planet and help compete for the trophy. We’re delighted to be working alongside Count Us In and we look forward to sharing exciting moments and surprises as the season unfolds.
Exeter City fans, schools and families can sign up for free on cup26.co.uk from today. The tournament kicks off on Monday 13 September. The first week’s fixtures are:
- Arsenal v Burnley
- Aston Villa v Burton
- Cardiff v Walsall
- Derby v Stoke
- Everton v Luton
- Fulham v Bristol Rovers
- Huddersfield v Reading
- Leeds v Cambridge
- Lincoln City v Rotherham
- Liverpool v Crystal Palace
- Middlesbrough v Wrexham
- Northampton v Notts County
- Nottingham Forest v MK Dons
- Plymouth v Hibernian
- Preston v Ipswich
- QPR v Swindon
- Sheff United v Chesterfield
- Southampton v Hull City Tigers Trust
- Swansea v Exeter
- Tottenham v Chelsea
- West Brom v Wycombe
- Wigan v Shrewsbury
CUP26 activities include:
- Leg power 5k - Go for a walk/cycle instead of using the car
- Pumped up - Pump up your car tyres
- Club bird feeder - Make a bird feeder and decorate in your club’s colours
- Screens off - Try a screen-free evening
- Electric transfer - Switch to a green electricity supplier
- Over the line - Hanging out the washing instead of using the tumble drier
- Smart move - Get a smart meter installed
- Natural talent - Snap an animal or plant found on a football club badge
- Bug stadium - Build a football stadium for the bugs
- Snap a bug - Get into nature and identify an insect
- Meat-free meal - Eat a meat-free meal
- Fergie time food - Grab some yellow ticket food from the supermarket
- No moo milk - Try plant-based milk
- Charity shop drop - Donate a bag of preloved clothes