en.Wedoany.com Reported - In the early hours of June 12, the 2026 World Cup officially kicked off in Mexico City.

Three nations—the United States, Canada, and Mexico—joined forces, featuring 16 host cities, 48 teams, 104 matches, and a 39-day schedule. Every single number sets a new record in World Cup history.

The entire tournament spans the North American continent, requiring teams and fans to travel between distant cities such as Vancouver and Miami.

Behind this grand football spectacle lies a significant energy bill...

Carbon Emissions: From 2.17 Million to 9 Million Tons

According to FIFA reports, carbon emissions from previous World Cups have shown a gradual upward trend. The 2018 Russia World Cup emitted 2.17 million tons of carbon, with transportation accounting for 57% (approximately 1.6 million tons). Emissions for the 2022 Qatar World Cup rose to 3.63 million tons, an increase of nearly 70% compared to 2018. In its emission structure, transportation still ranked first, accounting for about 52% (primarily international air travel), while stadium construction and accommodation accounted for approximately 25% and 20%, respectively.

The estimated carbon emissions for the 2026 World Cup push this number to a new level.

According to an analysis report by French carbon accounting firm Greenly, the carbon footprint of this tournament is approximately 7.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent, roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 1.7 million cars or the entire annual carbon footprint of the West African nation of Sierra Leone.

A report titled "FIFA Climate Blind Spots," jointly released by the UK think tank New Weather Institute, the Global Responsibility Scientists organization, and the Environmental Defense Fund, provides an even higher figure—carbon emissions from this World Cup will be at least 9 million tons, roughly equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of 1.1 million French people. This is nearly double the average carbon emissions of 4.7 million tons from World Cups held between 2010 and 2022. In a more pessimistic scenario, emissions could reach as high as 15 million tons.

Research findings from David Faranda, Director of Climate Science Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), are highly consistent with the above data. His calculations estimate carbon emissions in the range of 7 to 8 million tons, with a maximum scenario reaching 9 million tons. The scientist stated bluntly: "There is no doubt that the emissions from this tournament will set a record. The initial estimates made during the bid process were completely off the mark."

Air Travel: A Major Driver of Carbon Emissions

Where do such high carbon emissions come from? According to Greenly's calculations, fan travel (primarily air travel) accounts for 87% of the tournament's total emissions. As reported by Reuters, millions of fans flying across the North American continent make travel emissions the vast majority of the tournament's total emissions.

The uniqueness of this tournament first lies in its geographical span. The 16 venues are extremely dispersed, with the straight-line distance between Vancouver, Canada, the northernmost host city, and Miami, USA, exceeding 4,500 kilometers. Secondly, North America lacks an efficient high-speed rail network connecting these cities—a stark contrast to UEFA Euro 2024, which leveraged Germany's and neighboring countries' developed railway systems to reduce transportation carbon emissions by approximately 21%. Intercity movement for teams and fans is almost entirely dependent on air travel. According to the "FIFA Climate Blind Spots" report, air transport alone will generate over 7.7 million tons of carbon emissions, with flight emissions potentially surging by 160% to 325% compared to previous World Cups.

David Gogishvili, a geographer at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, offered a thought-provoking assessment in an interview with Reuters: "We eliminated one source of negative environmental impact, only to exacerbate it in another area."

Emission Reduction Dilemma: Carbon Offsets Struggle to Bridge the Target Gap

Facing unprecedented carbon emission pressure, FIFA's green investment in this tournament is also the largest in its history.

At the venue level, according to the Associated Press, as of the tournament's start, 13 of the 16 venues have obtained LEED green building certification, with 10 receiving certification after 2024 through rigorous audits. These certified venues have installed over 11,500 solar panels for clean power generation, saving over 100 million gallons of drinking water annually and reducing more than 5 million single-use plastic items. Notably, this tournament almost entirely uses existing sports facilities in North America, avoiding the massive infrastructure carbon emissions associated with building new stadiums from scratch.

In terms of jerseys, Nike has launched jerseys made from "100% textile waste" using chemical recycling technology for this World Cup, converting discarded clothing into high-quality recycled polyester yarn. According to reports, Zhejiang Jiaren New Materials Co., Ltd. provided nearly 7,000 tons of recycled polyester yarn for 12 national teams. However, some analysts point out that these jerseys are still fundamentally petroleum-based polyester fibers. The difficulty of chemically recycling blended components from post-consumer textile waste is far greater than handling well-sorted industrial waste from factories, indicating a significant gap remains before true circularity is achieved.

Regarding carbon offsets and sustainable fuels, FIFA has reportedly announced the purchase of carbon credits to offset emissions generated during the tournament—meaning that, on paper, this World Cup is expected to achieve "carbon neutrality" at the event level. Additionally, in the aviation emission reduction sector, FIFA is negotiating with several airlines to add Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on some official routes. However, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), SAF production in 2025 accounted for only 0.6% of global jet fuel consumption, and it is expected to increase to just 0.8% in 2026. At current price levels, the SAF premium has already added an extra $3.6 billion in fuel costs for the aviation industry in 2025. Its price is typically twice that of conventional jet fuel, and in some markets with mandatory usage, it can be up to five times higher.

Notably, in 2021, FIFA joined the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework at COP26, committing to reduce its own emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. As Alexis Normand, founder of French company Greenly, pointed out: "With only four years left to meet the promised 'halve emissions' target, emissions have instead doubled."

This 2026 World Cup is not the end of FIFA's tournament expansion. The 2030 World Cup will be held across three continents—South America, Africa, and Europe—and there are already internal discussions within FIFA about further expanding the number of participating teams to 64.

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