As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, the tournament’s record-breaking scale is drawing fierce criticism from climate scientists and environmental campaigners.
With 48 teams and venues scattered across three countries and 16 cities, a recent assessment by carbon accounting platform Greenly estimates the event could generate 7.8 million metric tons of CO₂ — roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 1.7 million cars.
A separate report from the New Weather Institute puts the figure even higher, at a minimum of nine million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, and potentially as much as 15 million tonnes in broader scenarios — nearly double the average for tournaments held between 2010 and 2022.
The driving force behind the surge is travel. Researchers estimate that as much as 87% of the tournament’s emissions will come from flights, as millions of fans criss-cross a continent that stretches 2,800 miles from Vancouver to Miami, making the format inherently more carbon-intensive than the compact Qatar event.
The expansion to 48 teams and 104 matches — a 63% increase on previous editions means more travel, more fans, and greater pressure on infrastructure.
Sports ecologist Dr. Madeleine Orr told Reporters the event is “completely misaligned with the promises FIFA have made publicly to reduce emissions,” describing the situation as “damage control.”
FIFA, for its part, has defended its approach. The governing body insists the 2026 World Cup will be accompanied by a sustainability strategy focused on reducing environmental impacts and leaving a “positive legacy” in the host cities.
However, critics remain skeptical, pointing to the organization’s troubled track record. In 2021, FIFA committed to cutting emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2040, but in 2023, a Swiss advertising regulator ruled that FIFA had made “unsubstantiated claims” about the reduced environmental impact of Qatar 2022, after the governing body had declared it the first “fully carbon-neutral World Cup.”
With expansion plans already being floated for future editions, campaigners warn the gap between FIFA’s climate pledges and its decisions is only widening.
