Channel A: A visit to Son Heung-min’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has ‘zero carbon emissions’
100% renewable energy
Eco-friendly restaurants, breweries, and even trash cans
Tottenham Hotspur, where Son Heung-min has been for nearly 10 years, is a prestigious English Premier League club familiar to Korean soccer fans. However, the fact that Tottenham is the most eco-friendly club in the Premier League is relatively less known.
On June 25, the reporter visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of the 2025 Journalists Offshore Wind Power Training hosted by the Korea Press Association and Next. Now, let’s look at how sports can play a leading role in responding to the climate crisis through Tottenham’s case.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a state-of-the-art stadium located in Tottenham, North London, that opened in 2019. It boasts the largest seating capacity of any club stadium in London at 62,850, and consumes a huge amount of electricity.
Marcus Parry, Tottenham’s head of sustainability, told reporters in Korea, “Tottenham Hotspur Stadium uses 100% renewable energy,” and “We are aiming to achieve net zero carbon neutrality for the entire club by 2040.” This is a way to officially certify the consumption of renewable energy by purchasing an eco-friendly certificate called a “Green Certificate.” This is done through the UK government’s REGO (
Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin) scheme. Marcus said , “ We are proud to be leading the way in sustainability and showcasing various measures across the stadium to minimize carbon emissions.”
From restaurants to trash cans, ‘green philosophy’
In addition to using renewable energy, various facilities in the stadium are also operated in an eco-friendly manner. The food and beverage facility has the longest bar in Europe. Up to 17,500 people can stand and enjoy their drinks. Most of the stores offer plant-based food. The burger that the reporter tasted was also vegan with a patty made from mushrooms. Packaging and tableware also use recyclable materials such as seaweed and paper. The ingredients are obtained from suppliers located near the stadium. It also has its own beer brewery. It is a Tottenham local beer called Beavertown . It reduces carbon emissions while contributing to the local economy. The principle is to recycle all waste as much as possible.
Tottenham Hotspur has consistently been selected as the ‘Eco-Friendly Club in the Premier League’ in the annual survey of the Sports Positive Summit sponsored by BBC Sport and the UN . In September 2021, it hosted the world’s first net-zero football match, and in 2023, it became the first Premier League to provide sustainability education to all men and women players.
Tottenham plans to install solar panels on the stadium in the future. This means that it will increase the proportion of its own power supply from renewable energy rather than relying on renewable energy certificates.
If a club playing in the world’s best league takes the lead in eco-friendliness like this, football fans will also naturally have the opportunity to join in responding to the climate crisis. Son Heung-min is a star beloved by London children. As the team he plays for is running towards ‘net zero’, Son Heung-min can also be proud of leaving a better environment for the next generation.
