Climate cost of expanded World Cup under scrutiny as emissions set to soar - Reuters
Climate cost of expanded World Cup under scrutiny as emissions set to soar Reuters
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"Football is the world’s most popular sport, and probably the most popular activity."
— Dr Mark Doidge , Academic
"FIFA has made elite men’s football the primary target of Petrostate sportswashing."
— Dr Oscar Berglund , Academic
"FIFA wants to become climate neutral by 2040."
— Gianni Infantino , Executive
"I think the World Cup is great in theory for the sport and for visibility – but bad from a climate perspective."
— Madeleine Orr , Academic
"Increase the number of teams and then place them in a country that requires a lot of travel to get there by air, and then a lot of travel between host locations."
— David Gogishvili , Academic
Key People
Geographer at the University of Lausanne.
Lecturer at The University of Manchester.
Reader in Sociology of Sport at Loughborough University.
Senior Lecturer in International Public and Social Policy at the University of Bristol.
President of FIFA.
Author and sports ecologist focused on the impact of climate change on sports.
Locations
Tags
All Coverage
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivwFBVV95cUxNT2hObnZJYjNzS2NFME5fVkdndElQVVd6UWZqdXhBejJMSkl2eTQ3R2VVSUlUeHFFYldIMlVjbl9BTElwbEVsUm10S004VGtJT29ETVZtWUk2RU5wRl82Nkt1Ym9oVW52LUdvNkVMdjdUWkV4bG9NcERjT25WMGhlUzdiaDJiLTgxdVVvVkU3djNJVjRKcGlQaVBCMUlqa3RWeEIzdHloeVAzVjg1SHdSX25GNG9HWjFyQ29mY245bw?oc=5" target="_blank">Climate cost of expanded World Cup under scrutiny as emissions set to soar</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>
An analysis by Greenly estimates that the 2026 World Cup will emit about 7.8 million metric tons of CO₂, over twice the emissions of Qatar 2022, driven overwhelmingly by fan travel across North America's vast geography.
A report warns that the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup could become the 'most polluting ever,' highlighting concerns over football's relationship with climate change and the environmental impact of the tournament's expansion.
A report warns that the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico could produce twice the emissions of previous editions, with air travel being the main source of pollution due to the tournament's expanded format and geographical spread.
The 2026 World Cup, featuring 48 teams across 16 cities in North America, is projected to emit 7.8 million metric tons of CO₂, more than double the emissions of Qatar 2022, primarily due to extensive travel requirements.
The 2026 World Cup's expanded format is expected to generate 7.8 million tons of CO₂ emissions, more than doubling the environmental impact of Qatar 2022, primarily due to extensive travel requirements.
The 2026 World Cup's expanded format is expected to generate 7.8 million tons of CO₂ emissions, more than doubling the environmental impact of Qatar 2022, primarily due to extensive travel requirements.
A new report examining football’s relationship with climate change warns that the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup could become the 'most polluting ever,' highlighting concerns over FIFA's environmental commitments amid tournament expansion.
Similar Stories
Related coverage based on topic and tags
Climate damage: the next hit to Europe's public finances - Reuters
Climate damage: the next hit to Europe's public finances Reuters
August 18, 2026 at 05:01 AMAs Europe bakes, momentum grows for climate-resilient farming - reuters.com
As Europe bakes, momentum grows for climate-resilient farming reuters.com
August 19, 2026 at 06:02 AMEurope's heatwaves expose insurance gap as business losses mount - Reuters
Europe's heatwaves expose insurance gap as business losses mount Reuters
August 16, 2026 at 05:06 AMRecord-early champagne harvest highlights climate change impact on French vineyards - Reuters
Record-early champagne harvest highlights climate change impact on French vineyards Reuters
August 17, 2026 at 04:28 PMEurope AI data centres seek cheaper, quicker energy and land - Reuters
Europe AI data centres seek cheaper, quicker energy and land Reuters
August 19, 2026 at 08:20 PMCanada's pipeline ambitions hinge on uncertain output expansion - Reuters
Canada's pipeline ambitions hinge on uncertain output expansion Reuters
August 18, 2026 at 05:43 PM