The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to generate an estimated 7.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO₂e), more than twice that of the previous tournament in Qatar (3.63 million tonnes of CO₂e), according to new analysis from Greenly.
Greenly used publicly-available data and established emissions methodologies to build a ‘bottom-up estimate’ of the 2026 World Cup‘s total greenhouse gas footprint, across areas such as travel, stadium operations, accommodation, logistics, waste and other factors.
Spectator travel
The tournament, which features 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the biggest World Cup to date, and Greenly’s assessment identifies spectator travel – ‘the reason the tournament exists’, as it notes – as the dominant source of emissions.
As it noted, spectator travel will account for approximately 6.82 million tCO₂e, or 87.8% of the total, which is around 3.6 times higher than at Qatar 2022.
According to Greenly, the average overseas visitor is expected to travel close to 19,400 kilometres on a return journey, compared with an estimated 13,000 kilometres for the previous World Cup, with international fans generating around 5.05 million tonnes of emissions through air travel alone. Domestic travel within the US, Canada and Mexico is projected to add a further 1.76 million tonnes.
At the same time, emissions linked to team travel are estimated at around 17,677 tCO₂e, emissions associated with stadium renovations are estimated at 174,978 tCO₂e, while stadium operations will account for 63,126 tCO₂e. Accommodation is expected to generate around 367,200 tCO₂e, while food, drink and merchandise will account for around 80,670 tCO₂e.
Read more: Sustainability of FIFA World Cup host cities assessed in new study
A question of travel
‘The 2026 World Cup’s carbon footprint is dominated by spectator travel at 87.8% of the total – larger than every other category combined, several times over,’ Greenly commented. ‘Stadium operations and renovations together represent just 3.1%. The elements of the World Cup’s environmental story that receive the most attention – construction, operations, team logistics – are not where the problem sits.
‘Meaningful emissions reduction for 2026 and future tournaments will not come primarily from more energy-efficient stadiums or lower-emission team flights. It will come from decisions about where fans travel from, how they get there, and whether the tournament’s format encourages or discourages long-haul travel.’
Estimated FIFA World Cup Emissions – 2026 vs Qatar 2022 [Source: Greenly]
| Emissions Category | 2026 Estimate (tCO₂e) | Qatar 2022 (tCO₂e) | % of 2026 Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team travel (flights) | 17,677 | ~17,000 | 0.2% |
| Spectator travel | 6,817,762 | 1,878,106 | 87.8% |
| Stadium operations | 63,126 | 52,404 | 0.8% |
| Stadium renovations | 174,978 | 249,625 | 2.3% |
| Merchandise and food | 80,670 | 45,770 | 1.0% |
| Accommodation | 367,200 | 728,403 | 4.7% |
| Intra-city transport | 161,604 | 91,690 | 2.1% |
| Logistics and freight | 63,716 | 39,210 | 0.8% |
| Waste management | 19,282 | 10,940 | 0.2% |
| Media and broadcasting | 1,528 | 940 | 0.0% |
| TOTAL | 7,767,543 | 3,631,034 | 100.0% |
Climate commitments
Elsewhere, Carbon Market Watch has accused FIFA of reneging on is stated climate commitments, with each passing World Cup moving it further from its goals.
“When the party’s over, FIFA must reflect upon its approach,” commented Gavin Mair, Carbon Market Watch. “With the planet warming at an alarming rate, it is high time for football’s governing body to act before the full time whistle is blown. The beautiful game need not cost the Earth but should inspire players and fans to be responsible custodians of our planet.” Read more here and here.
Read more: Can the FIFA World Cup 2026 be sustainable?
