2026 World Cup projected as most polluting sporting event with 9 million tonnes CO2 footprint

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be the most polluting sporting event ever, with a carbon footprint of 9 million tonnes of CO2, nearly double the average of the last four tournaments. France 24's environment editor reports that the emissions come from travel, stadium construction, and operations across the host countries. This raises questions about how major events can offset or reduce their climate impact. For carbon markets and climate policy watchers, the scale highlights the gap between event-level emissions and the offsets or reductions typically claimed. The article does not detail what offsets are planned or whether any are verified.