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Brandenburg forest kickers impress the prime minister with environmental campaigns!
E-juniors from SV Empor Brandenburg present the sustainable project “Waldkicker” - a step towards more environmental protection in sport.
Brandenburg forest kickers impress the prime minister with environmental campaigns!
Something is happening in Brandenburg - especially in the world of football! Today the E-Juniors of SV Empor Brandenburg presented their exciting project “Forest Kicker” on the sports field at Turnerheim. Mayor Steffen Scheller was on site and had the young footballers show him how they are committed to environmental protection. The educational project has even qualified for the German Sustainability Prize 2026, a high award that recognizes the commitment of teams that are committed not only to goals, but also to the environment. City of Brandenburg reports that 50 youth football teams, playing in the U7 to U10 age group, are selected for the project every year.
In a special meeting, Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke invited the Brandenburg team together with Steffen Scheller to the State Chancellery in Potsdam. Here the politicians learned about the various environmental campaigns that the Waldkickers have already carried out. Collecting rubbish, green waste campaigns and even bottle cap collections are on the club's agenda. The teams have until March 2026 to collect points through various activities. This includes, for example, tree planting and a visit to the Krugpark nature conservation center.
Commitment and rewards
The points potential collected will not only benefit the environment, but also plays a central role in the teams' placement in the Waldkicker table. Higher rankings mean a better chance of taking part in a very special weekend experience, including finals and a visit to a Bundesliga stadium. These initiatives reward the commitment of the young players and show how football can also contribute to sustainability.
The forest kickers receive support from the city's Office for Waste Management, Soil Protection and Green Spaces. As part of the “Every plug counts! Germany collects e-waste” campaign weeks, they are actively committed to recycling small electrical and electronic devices. In doing so, the Waldkickers not only show that sustainability is possible in sport, but also that footballers can and should serve as role models.
A nationwide network
The “Waldkicker” initiative strives to bring together a large number of committed football teams from Germany. The application phase for the 2025/26 season has already been completed, but reservations for the 2026/27 season are now possible. The idea behind the project is to motivate football clubs to take a leading role in environmental protection and to inspire young people to protect our forests. Interested clubs can register via the official Waldkicker website to become part of this Germany-wide network. Waldkicker.org offers further information on how to actively shape a greener future.
A valuable approach to integrating the topics of resilience and sustainability in sport can be seen at events such as “Resilience and Sustainability in Sport”, which recently took place at the State Sports School in Osterburg. This training, which not only provides participants with theoretical knowledge but also practical experience, benefits club managers and trainers. LSB Saxony-Anhalt highlights the importance of resilience and the connection between environmental awareness and sport.
It will be exciting to see how the forest kickers develop over the coming months and what positive impulses they will trigger for environmental protection. Because one thing is clear: not only is the ball moving here, but there is also an active fight for a greener future!