Practice rounds will give participants a chance to experience competitive litter picking before the Canadian qualifier.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ONTARIO, CANADA: A Greener Future will host Canada’s qualifying round for The Nippon Foundation SPOGOMI World Cup 2027 in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As Canada’s official national organizer, the environmental non-profit will bring participants together to compete for the opportunity to represent Canada on the world stage.
The Canadian qualifier is planned for June 26, 2027, with a rain date of June 27. The winning team will qualify for the World Cup final, planned for Japan in October 2027.
Canada is one of a record 40 countries and regions confirmed to hold qualifying tournaments for the competition.
Turning litter cleanup into a team sport
Born in Japan, SPOGOMI combines environmental action with the strategy and camaraderie of sport. In the World Cup format, teams of three have 60 minutes to collect litter within a designated area, followed by 20 minutes to sort what they have collected. Teams earn points based on the amount and types of litter they pick up.
Every piece collected helps clean up the community. The competition also encourages participants to notice the waste around them and consider how to prevent it from reaching parks, waterways and the ocean.
For A Greener Future, hosting the Canadian qualifier builds on more than a decade of bringing people together to protect the environment. Since 2014, the organization and its volunteers have removed more than 10 million pieces of litter through community cleanups and environmental programs.
Try SPOGOMI before the qualifier
A Greener Future will also host three practice rounds for people who want to get a feel for the experience before the qualifying competition. Practice rounds are scheduled for:
April 17, 2027
May 15, 2027
June 12, 2027
These events will give participants an opportunity to learn how the competition works, practise working as a team and develop their strategy while helping clean up local communities.
Get involved
A Greener Future is looking for teams of three to take part, as well as referees to help support the events. Venues, event times and registration details will be announced separately.
Sign up for our SPOGOMI mailing list to be the first to hear about the practice rounds, qualifier, registration and referee opportunities:
About A Greener Future
Founded in 2014, A Greener Future is a Canadian environmental non-profit that brings communities together through litter cleanups, education and environmental programs. Through initiatives including Love Your Lakes, the Butt Blitz and Nurdle Hunts, the organization removes litter, collects data to better understand pollution and helps people take practical action for a cleaner, healthier environment. https://www.agreenerfuture.ca
About The Nippon Foundation SPOGOMI Federation
The Federation promotes and raises awareness of activities that treat trash picking as a sport, bringing people together to compete and work up a sweat while collecting litter. In doing so, it encourages wellness and helps people of all ages, from children to adults, change their attitudes and behaviour toward litter, contributing to cleaner, more livable communities. By bringing sport and environmental action together and highlighting a new dimension of sport’s appeal, the Federation also aims to contribute to the development of sport in Japan. https://spogomi.or.jp/en/
About The Nippon Foundation
Established in 1962 as one of Japan’s largest foundations, The Nippon Foundation has supported a wide range of initiatives across racial and national boundaries, including programs for children, people with disabilities, disaster response, ocean-related issues, and humanitarian assistance. Its activities are funded by grants derived from motorboat racing revenues. https://en.nippon-foundation.or.jp/
Note: The Nippon Foundation SPOGOMI World Cup 2027 is supported by The Nippon Foundation.
Media Contacts
Rochelle Byrne
Founder and Executive Director, A Greener Future
705-791-5358
rochelle@agreenerfuture.ca
Nino Kolta
Communications Coordinator, A Greener Future
647-919-5855
nino@agreenerfuture.ca
