After the inaugural edition of the “Road to Zero” project in 2024, Lega Serie A, Sport e Salute, Roma Capitale and Roma Servizi per la Mobilità, with the support of UEFA, continued their commitment to sustainability during the 2024/2025 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final. The final hosted AC Milan and Bologna FC at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on the 14^th May 2025 and saw the implementation of several initiatives in alignment with last years’ “Road to Zero” ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) framework.

The “Road to Zero” ESG framework was created in 2024, when Serie A with the support of UEFA, Riccardo Luna and Cristiana Pace, CEO of Enovation Consulting, developed a comprehensive ESG framework. The framework holistically targets 12 key areas of action within ESG to reduce the environmental impact and amplify the positive social influence of the event.

During the 2024/2025 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final, over 75 ESG initiatives were implemented with particular emphasis placed on environmental factors, accessibility and mobility.

New Initiatives

Among the 2024/2025 activations, two innovative newly implemented initiatives were deployed, in collaboration with Touch2See and SELA. Specifically, Touch2See provided tactile tablets that allowed visually impaired fans to follow the game through a map linked to the ball’s movement in real time, while the collaboration with SELA provided sensory t-shirts called SoundShirts to allow deaf fans to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the match. These shirts perceive the vibrations that are generated within the stadium from the fans and transform these sounds into a physical perception, giving fans the opportunity to feel the atmosphere.

Mobility

Similar to last year, fans with tickets to the event were able to use public transport free of charge on the match day, with a digital mobility map provided to allow fans to plan their travel to the stadium. Encouraging the use of the metro, railway, shared mobility and buses was crucial to reduce the fan-related travel emissions of the event.

Waste Management

Circularity and waste management were areas of focus with an efficient waste separation system paired alongside separate waste collection points at the stadium. A food donation programme was implemented for the collection of surplus food to be distributed to charitable organisations in the city.

Accessibility

After its success during last year’s event, the Quiet Sensory Room powered by KINTO was implemented again for children with cognitive disabilities and sensory difficulties. This provided an inclusive and protected space for these children to enjoy the event in an environment that catered to their needs. Fifteen hybrid and electric vehicles were also provided by KINTO to transport the children to the sensory room, as well as the employees and guests of the event.

Continuing from last year’s event, sign language interpreters were present to translate the pre and post-match press conferences, and the Italian national anthem. Such inclusive initiatives empower fans that require extra support to enjoy the event, such as the availability of parking spaces for fans with additional needs, and a transportation service to take them from the car park to their seats.

Social Impact

Anti-racism featured heavily in the 2024/2025 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final as part of Lega Serie A and Ufficio Nazionale Antidiscriminazioni Razziali’s (UNAR) commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Philadelphia Junior Cup participated in the “Keep Racism Out” campaign where over 5,000 under 14 footballers compete, with the final taking place before the 2024/2025 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final. The aim of this event is to promote inclusion, collaboration and increase awareness about the fight against racism and discrimination. In addition, as with every year, Lega Serie A organised its annual “Charity Gala Dinner” supporting the AIRC Foundation, the Italian Red Cross and the Centro Paradiso di Soccavo (NA).

Robust Governance

In alignment with the “Road to Zero” strategy, a post-event report was produced for the 2023/2024 event to transparently disclose the impact of the sustainability initiatives of the event with a similar report planned for the 2024/2025 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final. Additionally, the methodology behind the data collection, which is aligned with the UEFA Carbon Calculator, expanded to include Scope 3 emissions that were not included in the baseline last year. A voluntary survey on fan mobility was conducted which received 20,000 responses, far surpassing the number of responses compared to last year’s survey. These responses will inform the sustainability initiatives for the next Coppa Italia Final.

What’s next?

The 2023/2024 Frecciarossa Coppa Italia Final provided a robust foundation for future events to build upon, and the data collected was analysed to target specific areas in the 2025 edition. Enovation Consulting and Lega Serie A will analyse the data from the 2025 edition, with the support of UEFA, and implement improvements to the initiatives planned for the 2025/2026 final. A post-event report will disclose the data behind the impact of the ESG initiatives implemented, allowing for a comparison with last year to assess any improvements made.