Champions Innovate Pledge League
Make pledges and support your team in the UEFA Champions League.
The UEFA Champions Innovate Pledge League was a ground-breaking, joint initiative between UEFA, Mastercard, and Pledgeball that encouraged fans to support their clubs in the UEFA Champions League by making eco-friendly commitments.
To participate, fans simply had to select their club — whether Arsenal, Bayern München, or Real Madrid — and make a pledge to be entered into a draw for UEFA Champions League final tickets, courtesy of Mastercard. Each pledge counted as an entry, meaning fans could boost their chances of winning by pledging across several fixtures.
InterviewI talked about how it helps to make you realise what [a] big issue is environment change. And how it focuses your own self to meet with one’s own emotions regarding the same. The pledge system helps one to realise how much he can contribute in conserving the planet and is a great initiative as everyone can see that little things matter a lot!
The initiative, which was assessed by academic experts, contributed to form part of UEFA’s commitment to making a positive impact on global sustainability issues, complementing wider efforts to identify innovative and sustainability-focused solutions across the game.
J. Wise, 2024
“Pledgeball shares some of the best features of nudges, like their low-cost and scalability, it acts on deliberative thinking. Pledgeball may make use of several psychological mechanisms. Publicly pledging makes otherwise invisible pro-environmental behavioural change, visible. This reduces pluralistic ignorance and builds a sense of efficacy, which is thought to facilitate greater climate action. These public actions may also prompt conversations between fans which strengthens this process. The competitive aspect of the league table may also strengthen motivations to pledge. Clubs can then act as trusted messengers and disseminate climate information.”
Read the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation’s publication about the research
The Pledge Ball
Representing the collective impact and desire for change, from individual to industry, the Pledge Ball was created by designer Helen Kirkum. Engraved on the ball, made from old football boots, were environmental commitments from across the football industry, from fans to clubs:
Pledges from the Pledge Ball
“Developing a sustainability policy and campaign for all clubs to do the same” – The Football Supporters Association
“Supporting circular solutions for football boots” – footballer Will Troost-Ekong
“Rallying the sports community to drive systemic change” – Pledgeball
“Drink plant-based milk alternatives” – footballer, Gareth Bale
