Major sporting events carry a heavy environmental footprint, but in recent years, the soccer world has begun taking sustainability far more seriously. From stadium management and fan transit to carbon reduction and venue accessibility, a wide range of initiatives can make an event eco-friendlier.
These topics took center stage during a panel on Road to Zero, a project launched by Lega Calcio Serie A to make soccer increasingly sustainable through concrete, measurable actions. The panel was moderated by Lucrezia Maritano, host on Radio TV Serie A, and featured key industry figures: Elena Vetere Lega Calcio Serie A; Andrea Santini, Manager of Parco del Foro Italico at Sport e Salute, Stefano Brinchi, Head of Central Mobility at Roma Servizi per la Mobilità; Cristiana Pace Founder & CEO of Enovation Consulting; and Nicoletta Flutti, Child Safeguarding & Wellbeing Expert at UEFA.
Together, they reviewed the initiative's origins, key milestones, and long-term goals. As Elena Vetere explained, Road to Zero is fully integrated into the operations of the Coppa Italia FrecciaRossa final, a massive operation involving hundreds of staff where environmental sustainability is now embedded into daily planning. Launched in 2024 as a pilot project to gather baseline data, the initiative expanded in 2025 to focus on accessibility, stadium infrastructure alongside Sport e Salute, and fan transportation.
To track the environmental footprint of spectator travel, Lega Calcio Serie A partnered with ticketing provider Viva ticket to run targeted fan surveys, collecting nearly 29,000 responses to analyse how attendees get to the match. Andrea Santini focused on operations at Stadium Olimpico and the surrounding Parco del Foro Italico, describing Road to Zero as the consolidation of a vision embraced from day one to lower the environmental impact of every event hosted at the complex.
Santini stressed that true sustainability relies on upgrading facility infrastructure. With goals such as securing ISO 20121 certification and developing advanced management platforms, permanent upgrades have already been made, including a dedicated Quiet Room now available for Roma and Lazio home matches,to build venues capable of tracking and optimizing energy use year-round.
Managing transit and spectator flow across Rome was outlined by Stefano Brinchi. To encourage eco-friendly travel, final ticket holders received free access to Rome's public transit network for the entire day. Subscribers were also offered free micro-mobility options (like e-bikes and scooters) to cover the last mile to the stadium, alongside extended late-night bus and train schedules coordinated with local transit authorities. Targeted traffic controls and parking zones around Stadium Olimpico further streamlined crowd access.
On the technical front, Cristiana Pace detailed the ESG framework used to measure environmental, social, and governance metrics. The 2026 report confirmed a 21.4% drop in the project's carbon footprint compared to the initial baseline. Food and beverage service played a key role in driving these savings by adding more vegetarian and vegan options, cutting down on red meat, and sourcing ingredients locally within a 70-kilometer radius.
Representing UEFA, Nicoletta Flutti highlighted how scalable this model is across different competitions, pointing to collaboration as the driving force behind the project. Tackling a complex challenge like sustainability reinforces the value of multi-institution teamwork. UEFA backed the effort by providing its Carbon Calculator tool, helping organizers pinpoint high-impact operational areas, and opening access to its official UEFA Sustainability Manual, alongside hands-on guidance for event execution.
In closing, Elena Vetere noted that sustainability in soccer is "a path-built step by step." The complete 2026 report, featuring full data and analytical breakdowns, is available for download on the official Lega Calcio Serie A website.