Sustainability of FIFA World Cup host cities assessed in new study

Vancouver ranks highest for sustainability among all FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities, a new study by WSN has found.

WSN assessed the 16 host cities for the forthcoming World Cup using a proprietary ‘Eco Score’ based on transport, waste, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental policies.

As it noted, some two thirds (66%) of fans believe that more needs to be done to make football more sustainable, while this number rises to 88% among younger supporters, especially Gen Z.

Leading the way

Vancouver topped the list with an Eco Score of 6.7 out of 10, surpassing all other host cities in terms of its efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions and prevent air pollution – scoring 9 out of 10 in most these pillars. It was also the highest scoring city (7.3) for sustainable transport.

Boston, with a score of 6.5 out of 10, placed second – the only US city to rank in the top five. WSN noted the Massachusetts city’s existing environmental commitments, including efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Mexico City, with 6.2 out of 10, placed third, with WSN noting the city’s strong ecological programmes focused on reforestation, and the rejuvenation of the city’s parks.

The remainder of the top ten included Toronto (6.1), Monterrey (5.9), Seattle (5.7), Philadelphia (5.6), Atlanta (5.22), San Francisco and Kansas City (both 5.2 – tied for 9th), and Guadalajara (10th).

Read more: Can the FIFA World Cup 2026 be sustainable?

Emissions footprint

As previous studies have noted, the 2026 World Cup is expected to generate around 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, largely due to travel between host cities in the US, Canada and Mexico, and the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams.

‘Despite FIFA emphasising its focus on sustainability for the 2026 World Cup, our investigation shows they’re coming up short,’ WSN said. ‘Given that two-thirds of soccer fans believe there needs to be more done to make the sport more eco-friendly, FIFA needs to match their actions with their words.

‘Choosing host cities which are known for being unwalkable and lacking in public transport infrastructure makes travel more complicated for fans and costly for the environment. That’s before we even consider the impact of travel between the games, which are spread across the continent and the increased waste generated by the biggest ever World Cup.’ Read more here.

Read more: 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be the most polluting to date

Host Cities Eco Scores – 2026 World Cup (Score out of 10)