The 2026 World Cup is expected to generate 7.8 million metric tons of CO2, more than double the emissions of Qatar 2022, according to a new estimate from carbon accounting platform Greenly. The expansion to 48 teams spread across 16 cities in three countries means 87% of emissions will come from air travel as fans and teams crisscross North America. Researchers point out that while no new stadiums were built, the shift to a sprawling format simply moved the environmental cost from construction to transportation. Beyond travel, the article highlights the often overlooked digital footprint of the tournament. Broadcasting, streaming, and betting platforms require massive energy from data centers and satellites. The UK's National Energy System Operator estimated each England or Scotland group game could add 600 megawatts of electricity demand nationally, equivalent to the total demand of Glasgow and Leeds combined. FIFA has pledged to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2040, but has not set a specific carbon target for this World Cup.
