Member of the PFA’s Our Greener Pitch committee and Aberdeen defender Emma Ilijoski discusses the importance of this year’s Great Save initiative, and the work that’s gone in to getting the campaign off the ground.
We’re taking a big leap this year.
Last year, we introduced the Green Games, and now we’re elevating it by connecting with the UK’s The Great Save campaign. This collaboration is an exciting opportunity, and we’re eager to showcase what we can achieve.
After last year’s launch, we were already discussing the next steps, but this partnership wasn’t initially on my radar. It’s exciting to see it come to life, and we’re working hard to make an impact.
Reflecting on last year, we can be proud of the Green Games and beginning the relationship between Australian football and climate action. As soon as it ended, we were already brainstorming with Our Greener Pitch about what we could achieve next.
That drive within our group and the PFA has been crucial in pushing us to go bigger.
In this space, I’ve heard the phrase, ‘perfect shouldn’t be the enemy of good,’ and it resonated. We often think, ‘I’m just a footballer’ but we can make a bigger impact than what we think. That mindset is key as we move forward.
This year’s focus is on upcycling and recycling football gear to prevent waste. Every footballer and football family accumulates gear over the years—it’s a privilege, but we must consider how to keep it from becoming waste. Reusing gear preserves nostalgic memories while giving others an opportunity to benefit, especially those less fortunate. Creating that cycle will be amazing.
Last year’s Green Games had three pillars; this year’s new focus keeps fans engaged by showing the many different ways to take action. Climate awareness can take many forms, and intertwining it with football gear and fashion makes it accessible and exciting.
Through Our Greener Pitch, we’ve worked hard to build and grow a community within clubs that care about climate action because collective action is the most powerful tool. Representation in clubs and meaningful conversations are crucial.
For me, this is about looking ahead—protecting the future of footballers and future generations. We’re already seeing the effects, so thinking beyond the present is vital.
To the wider football community: this is a special opportunity. Embrace it. Players are in a position to push boundaries and make climate awareness the norm. It’s already affecting our world—so let’s ensure we’re part of the solution.
