US Edition2026 FIFA World Cup Set to Be ‘Most Polluting Edition Ever’, Says Report
UNITED STATES, JUL 9 – The tournament's expansion to 48 teams and 104 matches is expected to produce over nine million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, nearly double prior World Cups, driven by extensive air travel.
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly organized by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will include 48 teams competing in 104 games, making it the largest edition of the tournament to date.
- This expansion and the tournament's location across an entire continent have raised concerns due to increased travel and match numbers, doubling expected emissions compared to previous events.
- A report by Scientists for Global Responsibility and partner organizations estimates the event will produce over nine million tonnes of CO2e, nearly double the 5.25 million tonnes emitted by the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
- FIFA asserts that it has implemented strategies to address and reduce its environmental footprint, claiming these measures helped it monitor its impact and respond appropriately. However, a Swiss regulatory authority determined in 2023 that FIFA's statements regarding the environmental impact of the 2022 Qatar World Cup were not adequately supported.
- The 2026 World Cup’s projected emissions set a new benchmark for environmental impact, challenging FIFA’s pledged goals to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2040.
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Explained: Why FIFA World Cup 2026 could be the ‘most climate-damaging’ ever
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest in the tournament's history, but also potentially the most climate-damaging. With expanded teams, vast travel distances, and heavy infrastructure demands, environmental experts are sounding the alarm.
2026 FIFA World Cup set to be ‘most polluting edition ever’, says report
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup, set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is set to become “the most climate-damaging” one in the tournament’s history, as per a new research by environmentalists.
According to a new study, the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico will be the most climate-damaging in history.
Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino love them, but the bloated FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico will be the most damaging in the history of the tournament, according to a study. The carbon footprint corresponds to 6.5 million cars driving for a year.
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