About us

Football can help save mankind, and the planet

The football family is by far the largest population in the world. It connects more than half the planet despite geographical, cultural, religious, and social differences.

Without the Green Shift, large areas of the earth will become inhabitable. Thus, billions of people need to migrate, wild animals will continue to die, food will get scarce, and economic and national security severely threatened.


5 billion people

The football family is by far the largest population in the world. It connects more than half the planet despite geographical, cultural, religious, and social differences.

If we can get a quarter of the football family onboard the Green Shift, we are close to being saved. If we get the majority onboarded, the future will be bright again.

The beginning of our journey

It all began in 2015 when professional footballer and environmentalist, Morten Thorsby, read the article “Keep it in the ground” in The Guardian. Soon after, he was able to persuade his football club, Heerenveen, to buy bicycles for the players to ride from the training center to the stadium.

Fast forward to 2020, a meeting with the Italian Environmental Minister, Sergio Costa, planted the seed in Morten’s mind to present a project that linked the world’s most followed sport to the world’s most pressing issue. We Play Green was born.

 

For the 21/22 season, Morten changed his playing number to #2. The intention was to create a symbol, on the pitch, for the 2015 Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature increases below 2°C. Since then, #2 has become a We Play Green symbol for everything related to building support for the Green Shift.

Our story continues as we try to tackle the world’s most pressing issue by activating the far-reaching voices and influence of professional football.


What we do at WPG

We Play Green is a global non-profit foundation that uses the power of football to speed up the green shift. Our team is dedicated to mobilizing the global football family, including professional players and fans alike, to support the transition toward a sustainable world.

We align our efforts with the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals, aiming to create a planet where economy, infrastructure, and societal actions are in harmony with the environment.

We recruit professional football players to become WPG Team Players, providing them with education, training, and support to become climate and environmental advocates within their communities. Our unique player program equips these athletes with a sustainability curriculum and social media training, enabling them to effectively reach and motivate their vast audiences.

We also offer opportunities for collaboration with local and international partners, fostering a network of environmental action. For more details on our initiatives, please visit our Programs section.

Together, we all have a #Role2Play

The We Play Green People

Together we can make future play possible!

The #2 Community

The #2 Community is the heart of our green transformation. This unique initiative is a powerful symbol of our commitment to the 2-degree global warming limit set by the Paris Climate Agreement. By changing their playing number to ‘2’, our athletes make a bold statement every time they step onto the pitch, reminding fans, clubs, sponsors, businesses, and fellow players of the urgent need to act against climate change.

#2 is more than just a number; it’s a global movement of athletes, fans, and partners united in the fight for a sustainable future. Our community members are the ambassadors of the green shift, using their platforms to raise awareness, inspire action, and drive meaningful change.

We invite you to explore the #2 Stories to learn more about our community members’ journeys toward sustainability. Each story is a testament to the power of sport in sparking global change, one goal at a time.

Join us in the #2 Community. Together, we can keep the temperature rise well under 2 degrees and safeguard our planet for future generations.


Meet the WPG Team

Our Player Program provides players with the training, coaching, sustainability education, and support they need to become confident leaders off the pitch, without compromising their performance on it.

Diane Caldwell

Defender

Nationality

Irish (Republic of Ireland)

Team(s)

The Republic of Ireland's National Team Reading FC

Julie Blakstad

Midfielder

Nationality

Norwegian

Team(s)

The Norwegian National Team, Manchester City, (BK Häcken on loan)

Rachel Corboz

Midfielder

Nationality

French / American

Team(s)

Stade de Reims Féminines

Maël Corboz

Midfielder

Nationality

French/American

Team(s)

SC Verl

Jacob Widell Zetterstörm

Goalkeeper

Nationality

Swedish

Team(s)

Djurgårdens

Susanne Haaland

Defender

Nationality

Norwegian

Team(s)

Kolbåtn

Elin Landström

Defender

Nationality

Swedish

Team(s)

AS Roma Women’s (Serie A)

Bart Vriends

Right-back

Nationality

Dutch

Team(s)

Sparta Rotterdam (Eredivisie)

Zach Banzon

Goalkeeper

Nationality

Filipino

Team(s)

Kaya FC-Iloilo (Philippines Football League)

Emil Bohinen

Midfielder

Nationality

Norwegian

Team(s)

U.S Salernitana (Serie A)