• The 2026 World Cup will produce an estimated nine million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
• Air travel between host nations will account for 7.7 million tons of emissions
• This carbon footprint is four times larger than World Cups held from 2010 to 2022
• The New Weather Institute has labelled the tournament the most polluting event ever

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup faces serious criticism over its environmental impact. Experts warn that the tournament will create record-breaking carbon emissions.

A new study by the New Weather Institute reveals alarming figures. The research suggests the competition will generate approximately nine million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This total makes it the most polluting World Cup in history.

Air travel presents the biggest concern. Teams, staff, and fans will fly between venues across three host countries. These flights will produce an estimated 7.7 million tons of carbon emissions. This number is more than four times higher than the average emissions from tournaments between 2010 and 2022.

The expanded format increases the problem. The competition will feature 48 teams playing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The long distances between these nations require extensive air transport.

Environmental groups have called for action. They want football authorities to reduce the tournament’s carbon footprint. Organisers face growing pressure to implement sustainable solutions before the competition begins.

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino aims to watch two World Cup matches each day during the tournament
• He travels via private jet provided by Qatar Airways as part of a sponsorship agreement
• The tournament takes place across three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico
• Experts predict the event will produce approximately 9 million tons of carbon dioxide
• Air travel alone accounts for 7.7 million tons of emissions, four times higher than previous tournaments

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has set himself an ambitious target. He plans to attend two matches per day throughout the World Cup tournament. The football chief will use a private aircraft to cover the vast distances between venues.

The jet comes from Qatar Airways. The airline provides the plane as part of its sponsorship deal with FIFA. This arrangement allows Infantino to travel quickly between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Last week, Infantino began his busy schedule in Mexico City. He watched the opening match there on Thursday. Immediately after, he flew to Guadalajara to see South Korea play against Czechia. The following day, he travelled to Los Angeles for the United States’ victory over Paraguay. On Saturday, he visited both San Francisco and Vancouver to watch Qatar face Switzerland and Australia take on Turkey.

The FIFA president missed Sunday’s fixtures. Instead, he hosted a summit in Miami for representatives from all 211 member associations. He returned to Los Angeles that evening to watch Iran’s opening game against New Zealand.

Sources within FIFA have confirmed that Infantino will maintain this hectic pace. He hopes to watch two games daily whenever possible. This presents a sharp contrast to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. During that tournament, the Swiss-Italian official managed to attend all 64 matches because the stadiums were only 46 miles apart at most.

The current tournament presents greater challenges. It stretches across four time zones and three countries. The 16 stadiums lie up to 2,800 miles apart. No other person involved in the competition will travel as far as Infantino.

Even the competing teams face shorter journeys. Bosnia and Herzegovina have the toughest schedule among the sides. They will travel 3,144 miles from Toronto to Los Angeles to Seattle. They must also return to their training base in Salt Lake City between matches.

The extensive travel has drawn criticism from environmental groups. The New Weather Institute has called this World Cup “the most polluting event ever”. They estimate it will generate about 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Air transport will create approximately 7.7 million tons of this total. This figure exceeds the average emissions from the 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cups by more than four times.