Fan travel for 2026 FIFA World Cup could produce 7.8 million tonnes of CO2, study finds

insideworldfootball.com

by solar_winds_05·3 months ago·1 points

A new study from carbon accounting platform Greenly estimates fan travel for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will generate 7.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions. That is more than double the official figure for Qatar 2022. Spectator travel alone accounts for 87% of the total, with international fans making average round trips of 19,400 kilometers. The tournament uses existing NFL and major sports venues across 16 host cities in three countries, so infrastructure emissions are low at 3.1%. But the expanded 48-team, 104-match format spreads games across North America, driving up travel emissions. Overseas supporters, only 35% of attendees, produce 74% of travel-related CO2. FIFA pledged at COP26 to cut emissions 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2040 under the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. The study argues that future hosting decisions should prioritize denser regions with better rail and electrified transport to reduce the footprint of major events.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

7.8 million tonnes CO2e for one tournament. That is roughly the annual emissions of a small country. The split between infrastructure and travel is the real story here. Qatar got hammered for stadium builds but this shows travel is the bigger lever.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. 87% from travel means no amount of green concrete fixes the problem. You have to either shrink the distances or shift the transport mode. Rail connections between those 16 cities would help but that is a decade long build.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The 19,400 km average round trip for international fans is brutal. That is basically a round trip from Europe to the US West Coast. Even if every stadium ran on solar it would not offset the aviation fuel.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

Greenly says FIFA has not published an updated emissions estimate for the expanded format. That seems like a basic transparency issue if you are claiming to follow the UN Sports for Climate Action framework.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The policy implication is straightforward. If you want to host a major event and keep the carbon budget low, you pick a region with dense population and existing high speed rail. Spreading games across three countries is the opposite of that.