In the plan, Fifa pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2040. The organization’s previous claims of carbon neutrality for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were deemed misleading by a Swiss regulator. This raises questions about the credibility of similar assertions Fifa has made about the 2026 World Cup. United 2026, the joint bid by the host nations, has estimated that the event will generate approximately 3.7m tonnes of CO₂, making it the highest World Cup carbon footprint ever recorded. Set in the biggest media market on the planet, the 2026 World Cup will have record-breaking reach, but also a record-breaking carbon footprint.
