World Cup's carbon cost: FIFA's biggest tournament may become its dirtiest

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is on track to become football's most polluting ever as its environmental impact has doubled with the longest and most carbon-emitting air journeys for fans.

The event spans North America and is being held in 16 cities across four time zones and three countries.

It has been sending both teams and fans on the longest and most carbon-emitting air journeys ever undertaken for a major tournament.

Air travel will be the most significant mode of transportation during the World Cup, as it is the most carbon-emitting method of travel, producing greenhouse gases that heat the atmosphere and contribute to global warming and climate change.

FIFA's decision to spread the World Cup across an entire continent and expand it from 32 to 48 teams potentially leads to thousands of kilometers of air travel for some football aficionados, resulting in tons of carbon dioxide emissions per fan.

9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions

FIFA anticipates that more than 5 million fans from around the world will attend the tournament. From an environmental perspective, this will come at a cost, and it will be far greater than any previous World Cup tournament.

According to a report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR), the 2026 World Cup will be the "most polluting" tournament ever held.

The report estimates that the event would cause at least 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in North America. This represents a 92% increase compared to the average of 4.7 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from the previous four World Cups between 2010-2022.

The report states that the estimated total emissions are almost double the average for the World Cup, while air transport amounts to 7.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent, more than four times the volume of World Cup events between 2010 and 2022.

The main reasons cited are more matches and therefore more spectators, as well as the long distances between the host cities in the three countries.

ENGLAND

In general, a fan traveling to and from London and watching all of England's matches on the road to the final during the World Cup will have traveled more than half the circumference of the Earth, or 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles).

England fans will travel an additional 2,830 kilometers (1,758 miles) between host cities even while following their team in the group stage.

Adding a flight from London and back to England, the number of kilometers traveled increases significantly.

If England finishes at the top of their group and reaches the final, fans will have to travel approximately 24,000 kilometers (14,912 miles). This will result in approximately 3.4 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per person.