Measuring the environmental sustainability of a major sporting event: a case study of the FA Cup Final

Policymakers are increasingly interested in the wider consequences of major sporting events, including their environmental impacts. Indeed, London 2012 included as part of its winning Olympic bid a commitment to measure and take steps to minimize the environmental impacts of the forthcoming Games. This paper demonstrates how the ‘Ecological Footprint’ has been used to measure the environmental sustainability of the UK’s Football Association (FA) Cup Final. This approach provides valuable insights into the global environmental impacts generated by visitor consumption patterns. The paper also demonstrates how this tool can support policymakers and event organizers in staging sustainable events through the development and assessment of policy scenarios.