UEFA EURO 2024: Sustainability in the Host City Munich

Overview: These measures were implemented for UEFA EURO 2024 in Munich

he preparation and organization of this tournament with its great appeal offered the opportunity to set new standards in terms of sustainability. The tournament was to be as environmentally friendly as possible, bring people together, create community and be a place of diversity, exchange and inclusion.

Host City Munich has bundled its commitment to a sustainable UEFA EURO 2024 under the motto “Fair Open Green” and implemented these 7 highlight measures, among others:

FAIR PLAY ZONE in the Fan Zone in the Olympic Park

As part of UEFA EURO 2024, sustainability issues played a central role in all areas of the tournament. In addition to the sustainable planning and organization of the Fan Zone (e.g. waste, disposal, catering, accessibility, etc.), corresponding topics were also reflected in the supporting program.

The host city presented this as part of a central platform within the Fan Zone, the FAIR PLAY ZONE. This brought together a variety of sustainability topics and provided a modular platform for a wide range of offers. In addition to municipal contributions in cooperation with departments of the Munich city administration, clubs, organizations and civil society initiatives also found their place.

“Lernen mit Kick”, a project of AWO Kreisverband München Stadt e.V., was on site on all 31 days and provided inclusive offers on the topic of sustainability in soccer. At the same time, the FAIR PLAY ZONE was regularly used by other organizations with a variety of offers: Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb München, Behinderten- und Rehabilitations-Sportverband Bayern e.V., Engagement Global gGmbH, FC Bayern München e.V., Städtische Forstverwaltung, Kommunalreferat/Fachstelle Zero Waste, Horizont e.V., Atelier La Silhouette Junge Frauen und Beruf e.V., Mobilitätsreferat, Münchner Ernährungsrat, Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation, Stiftung Ambulantes Kinderhospiz München, UnternehmerTUM GmbH

Holistic sporting activities in the fan zone

The big European Football Championship fan festival in the Olympiapark offered much more than “just” top-class sport to watch at the public viewing. Visitors found a varied and free program with many interactive and sporting activities. Every day, weather permitting, the Department of Education and Sport's FreizeitSport program offered a colourful hands-on games activity on Hans-Jochen-Vogel-Platz and in the small Olympic Hall. Visitors of all ages were able to balance, juggle and get active together.

The Bavarian Football Association set up a mini pitch on Hans-Jochen-Vogel-Platz. Various tournament formats for all age groups (male and female) and an inclusion tournament took place there. The DFB-Mobil made a guest appearance with specific training sessions, there was a training offer from the BFV vacation soccer schools, a workshop with a soccer freestyler, a raffle of the soccer court for training sessions for all Bavarian clubs as well as numerous motto and action days: from the Day of the Bavarian Referees to the Day of Girls' and Women's Football to the Day of Munich Clubs. There were open hands-on activities for all festival visitors with a goal measurement system, interactive goal wall and battle cage.

On July 4, the BFV Soccer Court also hosted the big Inclusion Day - with inclusive soccer activities such as frame football with walking aids, soccer for the blind and amputee soccer. There was great jubilation at the award ceremony of the FootballFriendsCup when Anna Schaffelhuber-Kaiser (8-time gold medal winner at the Winter Paralympics) and Heidi Beckenbauer, among others, presented the medals. 

Free drinking water fountains

UEFA EURO 2024 will take place in the summer, possibly in very high temperatures. The DFB, UEFA, EURO 2024 GmbH, host cities, the federal government and the federal states have agreed in a joint understanding to expand the range of drinking fountains in the host cities where water is provided free of charge.

All visitors to Munich can already obtain free drinking water from 48 existing drinking fountains in public squares and green spaces. A list and a digital map of all drinking fountains can be found here.

During UEFA EURO 2024, seven temporary drinking water fountains in the fan zone and at the public viewing area in Munich's Olympic Park will also provide access to free drinking water.

In addition, the Berlin-based association “a tip: tap e.V.“ has launched a drinking fountain campaign to mark the European Football Championship. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.

As part of the campaign, local authorities and water suppliers were able to apply for one of 51 public drinking fountains, one fountain for each EURO 2024 match. The winning cities were announced by Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke on the occasion of World Water Day on March 22, 2024. As one of the host cities, Munich was also awarded the contract to build a drinking fountain at the proposed location on Karlsplatz (Stachus).

Host City Ambassador Ka Lehmann presented the free drinking fountain in the middle of the city during the European Championships: "I am delighted that Host City Munich has won one of the 51 drinking fountains." And the best thing about it: "The drinking fountain will remain in place after the European Championships to enable people to enjoy drinking water sustainably," said Dominik Lanzl from a tip: tap.

• Drinking water well locations as a map
• Drinking water well locations as a list (PDF)

One-way ban and reusable ban in the fan zone

Food and drinks in the Fan Zone were only served in returnable and reusable packaging and reusable cutlery was available.

The only disposable cutlery was the untreated wooden chip picks. The reusable crockery, cups and cutlery were washed in our own dishwashing lines or by service providers. For the Fan Zone alone, there was an initial stock of 20,000 items, which were handed out at a total of 17 food and/or drinks outlets - plus the beer garden in the Olympic Park. A deposit of 3 euros was charged on the deposit cups and plates.

During a visit to the Fan Zone, Ka Lehmann, Ambassador of Host City Munich, was also shown the reusable system in the Fan Zone. Laura Herzog, who is responsible for sustainability at the Olympic Park, explained to Ka Lehmann how the reusable system was received by visitors - before she handed over drinks cups and chip trays herself. “The drinks deposit has been tried and tested here at the Olympic Park for many years, and the chip trays are a further step towards sustainability,” said Laura Herzog and also showed Ka Lehmann other sustainability components in the Fan Zone, such as drinking water dispensers, sun cream dispensers and the Fair Play Zone.

Attractive cycle routes for football fans

There were many ways to get around the city and to the stadium sustainably. In addition to public transport and shared mobility options, cycling was also a good way to get to the matches and events surrounding the European Championships in an environmentally friendly, sporty and healthy way.

Signposted, attractive cycle routes not only offered an environmentally friendly alternative, but also an authentic experience with a special flair for fans and visitors alike. The route to the stadium in Fröttmaning, for example, went comfortably through the English Garden with refreshment stops in classic Munich beer gardens. An overview of the cycle routes can be found here. The two ambassadors of Host City Munich Ka Lehman and Felix Brych were also there: “Let's go - by bike to Euro 2024!”

Host City Sustainability Ambassador

With Kathrin “Ka” Lehmann acting as local ambassador, Host City Munich was focusing on sustainability issues - in addition to the official ambassador of Host City Munich, Dr. Felix Brych. Kathrin Lehmann has been primarily working on the topics of ecological sustainability, diversity and tolerance as well as the positive economic impact of the major sporting event.

She has also been involved in the European Improv Theater Championship, which took place in Munich from 18 April to 19 May 2024 as part of the cultural supporting program in preparation for UEFA EURO 2024. Under the motto “Long live diversity”, the event also featured performances by drag queens, a Bulgarian choir and the Rainbow Sound Orchestra Munich.

Together with Ka Lehmann, Host City Munich also takes a look behind the scenes during the tournament and takes a closer look at the sustainable planning and organization of the Fan Zone.

And she was also doing good: the Offene Behindertenarbeit - evangelisch in der Region München (OBA) and the "Mädchen an den Ball" project of the BIKU e.V. association are delighted with a donation from Kathrin "Ka" Lehmann. The Host City Ambassador presented the two organisations with a cheque for 5,000 euros each in the Fan Zone at Munich's Olympic Park.

“Hands-on day” for the volunteers

On July 4, in cooperation with the “FöBE” (a civic engagement promotion agency) and various Munich volunteer agencies, the “Anpacktag” (Tackle Day) was held, where all 1,600 Munich volunteers for EURO 2024 were invited to take part in various projects.

At the intercultural soccer tournament, for example, you could get to know new soccer enthusiasts from other cultures. A walk followed by a visit to a café with wheelchair-bound senior citizens also focused on personal interaction.

As part of the inclusive event “Make Munich barrier-free”, Munich's Westend was checked for barriers together with people with disabilities. The aim of the “100,000 Cigarette Butt Challenge” was to collect as many discarded cigarettes as possible in the area around the Isar river with the help of numerous volunteers and to clear nature of garbage. Talented volunteers could register for the redesign of the Bodelschwingh-Hof for homeless people. There was also a bicycle repair workshop and a research Olympics for primary school children.

Environmental, social and governance issues are considered together

EURO 2024 GmbH generally classifies the various sustainability measures under the umbrella of the so-called “ESG strategy” in the three categories Environment (E), Social (S) and Governance (G). This allows the sustainability measures to be assigned uniformly and also enables synergies across host cities. In concrete terms, this means the following:

Environment:

The environmental component focuses on minimizing the impact of the sporting event on the environment. This includes reducing energy and water consumption, using renewable energy, promoting public transportation and reducing waste through recycling and waste management. Organizers can also implement initiatives to promote environmental awareness among participants and spectators.

Social:

The social component aims to create an inclusive and equitable event. This includes measures to promote equal opportunities, integrate disadvantaged groups, ensure health and safety for all participants and engage the local community. Programs to promote education, health and social engagement can be implemented to have a positive impact on society.

Governance:

The governance component deals with the responsible leadership and management of the event. This includes transparency, ethical behavior, compliance with laws and regulations, good business practices and stakeholder engagement. Good governance ensures integrity and trust and guarantees a sustainable and long-term orientation of the sporting event.

UEFA EURO 2024: Major event with a sustainability approach

UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany should not only create tangible added value in sporting terms, but also socially beyond the tournament itself. In order to achieve this, UEFA, the DFB, EURO 2024 GmbH, the federal government, the federal states and the host cities, including the city of Munich, have defined a common understanding of a sustainable UEFA EURO 2024 in advance.

Based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the organizer, host and host cities have for the first time adopted a joint, holistic and sustainable approach to the preparation and staging of a major sporting event.

A comprehensive understanding of sustainability is to be achieved with measures and projects at all levels in the areas of "Environment and Climate", "Good Governance", "Society" and "Health and Physical Activity".

• The developed "Common Understanding" is available here