The World Cup Promised to Go Green. This One Could Be the Most Carbon-Heavy Ever

Key Points

• The 2026 World Cup is projected to generate between 7.8 and 9 million metric tons of CO₂, making it potentially the most carbon-intensive tournament ever.
• Travel accounts for up to 87% of the emissions, largely due to the tournament being spread across 16 cities in three countries.
• Despite FIFA's public commitments to cut emissions, experts say the organization is falling behind its climate targets, and major emission reductions would require significant changes to event structure and transport.

Summary

The 2026 World Cup, hosted across 16 cities in the US, Mexico, and Canada, could reach record-high carbon emissions—between 7.8 and 9 million metric tons of CO₂—mainly due to extensive travel by fans and teams. This eclipses previous tournaments and undermines FIFA’s climate commitments, as travel alone accounts for up to 87% of emissions. While FIFA claims to prioritize sustainability, experts stress that meaningful reductions would require overhauling event logistics, especially transportation.