2026 World Cup Faces Criticism as Potential Climate Threat

Environmentalists are raising concerns that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is on track to become the most environmentally damaging tournament in history due to increased air travel and match volume.

Report Highlights Environmental Concerns

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) conducted research estimating the greenhouse gas emissions from the upcoming tournament. The expansion of the World Cup to include 48 teams, up from 32, will significantly increase its carbon footprint, according to their findings.

The group claims the expanded 2026 World Cup could generate over nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Driven by a high reliance on air travel and significant increase in the quantity of matches, SGR suggests the event will greatly surpass previous tournaments in pollution.

Comparing Carbon Footprints

SGR’s analysis indicates that the 2026 World Cup’s projected emissions are almost double the average of the last four World Cup finals. The anticipated impact far exceeds the estimated 5.25 million tonnes of CO2e attributed to the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The projected 2026 total equates to the annual emissions of roughly 6.5 million average British cars. To put this in perspective, the U.S. transportation sector accounted for 27% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, highlighting the significance of travel-related impacts (EPA 2024).

Expanded Format Intensifies Impact

Next year’s World Cup marks the first time the tournament will span an entire continent. It will feature 104 matches, 40 more than previous iterations, though all games will occur in existing stadiums.

During the bidding process, the host nations provided a preliminary estimate of 3.6 million tonnes of CO2e, based on the expectation of only 80 matches. At the time, the bid emphasized the hopes the 2026 World Cup will establish new standards for environmental sustainability in sport and deliver measurable environmental benefits.

Official Response Awaited

**Fifa** has been approached for comment regarding the environmental concerns raised by the Scientists for Global Responsibility.