The men's football World Cup generated 9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is twice the amount of the 2022 edition in Qatar.
67% confidence
EnvironmentInternational
Omissions
All 2026 emissions figures are projections and modelled estimates, not measured data — the tournament had only just begun on 11 June 2026, four days before the MEP spoke. Actual emissions could differ significantly from projections.
Estimates for the 2026 World Cup vary across sources: the analytical platform Greenly calculated 7.8 million tCO₂e, while other organisations such as Scientists for Global Responsibility cite 9 million tCO₂e. The MEP selected the highest published estimate without acknowledging the range.
The emissions profile differs fundamentally between the two tournaments: Qatar 2022's footprint was dominated by stadium construction (seven new stadiums) and air conditioning, while the 2026 World Cup's projected emissions are driven overwhelmingly by spectator air travel (estimated at ~87% of total), given the tournament spans three host countries across North America.
The 'twice as much' framing is approximate: using FIFA's official Qatar 2022 figure of 3.81 million tonnes, a 9 million tonne projection yields a ratio of ~2.4×, not exactly 2×. Using the 7.8 million estimate yields ~2.05×.
Sources
PrimaryFIFA — Qatar 2022 Sustainability ReportGHG emissions linked to the preparation, staging and post-event activities of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 were calculated at 3,808,357 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e).
SecondaryScientists for Global Responsibility (SGR)The 2026 World Cup is set to be the most polluting ever […] with around 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), making it the most polluting World Cup to date.
SecondaryGreenly — Carbon Accounting PlatformThe estimated total for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is approximately 7.8 million tCO₂e — around 2.1 times the 3.63 million tCO₂e reported for Qatar 2022.
TertiaryPureSky EnergyAt roughly 7.8 to 9 million tonnes of CO₂e, its footprint will exceed that of any previous World Cup by a substantial margin.