Football Festival On Clapham Common Update

This summer there is a proposal for a football event to show FIFA world cup games on Clapham Common. It will be the largest event of its kind in London and certainly the largest event that’s been held on the common for many years. It is currently still at the planning stage. If you’d like to support or oppose the application, you can submit your comments via the Lambeth planning portal: www.lambeth.gov.uk/planningdatabase, quoting reference 26/00185/RG4. The deadline for submissions is the 26th March. There is more information about the proposed event below

Tentatively called Football Fest it’s being run by Fan Parks International, who have created similar events in Oslo and Copenhagen. Their application for the event will be subject to Lambeth Event’s guidelines (including the issues of noise, security, waste management and repair of any environmental damage) and will be restricted to the designated Event site on Clapham Common.  It is expected to take up about 75% of that site, with 800 metres of fencing in place from the 4^th June until the 24^th July.

Football matches will be shown on 34 days with an average daily crowd of 6,000m but with a maximum capacity of 25,000. On those days a second screen will show the game to a standing crowd in the illustration above on the right. The final number will depend on how well England and other countries do in the tournament. The organisers state that no games will be shown after 11pm.

However, match kick-offs range from 1700-2300. England’s kickoffs in thegroup stages are 9pm, 9pm, and 10pm. Scotland’s are 11pm, 11pm, and 2am. If England made the quarter final, it would begin at 10pm in the UK. This means that the earliest matches (assuming 90 minutes with stoppage of up to 10 minutes) will finish at 2300. However, if extra time and penalties occur, the matches could finish at 2350 onwards (and they can hardly be stopped during penalties). For matches starting at 10 or 11pm, this could be 0050 or 0150.

While the duration of the event will certainly cause inconvenience, it will also generate the single largest amount of revenue for Lambeth Council for many decades, 20% of which directly will go into the Parks Investment Levy. Clapham Common has received significantly less PIL since 2019 and Lambeth Council has recently frozen any capital expenditure for Parks. This event will ultimately help fund the upgrade of many of the paths on the common, which are in urgent need of repair.  

The  Clapham Society recognises that not all events suit everyone all of the time.

We are mindful that in in 2023 the Secretary of State ruled that large events were permissible on Clapham Common as long as they didn’t exceed 10% of the total common. On balance we believe Football Fest is likely to bring as much enjoyment to people on the common as it might detract from others’ enjoyment.  

However, we still have a concern about the amount of plastic waste that may be produced. We have written to the organisers to seek clarification on this issue expressing a clear view that single-use plastic cups should be avoided. We are in dialogue with Fan Parks. They have shown a willingness to engage with us and have stated that they “take the issue of plastic waste very seriously” and are exploring the best sustainable option which they will share with us in due course.  Fan Parks have also indicated that they will engage with locals both on-line and in public meetings in advance so there is an opportunity for everyone to learn more in the weeks ahead should their application be approved. In the meantime you have the opportunity to make a submission to lambeth via the Lambeth planning portal: www.lambeth.gov.uk/planningdatabase, quoting reference 26/00185/RG4. The deadline for submissions is the 26th March. There is more information about the proposed event below