2026 World Cup set to be 'most polluting' sporting event in history

Article excerpt

The 2026 World Cup will generate 9 million tonnes of CO2, nearly double the average of the previous four tournaments, making it the most polluting sporting event in history, according to official projections. The massive carbon footprint stems from the tournament's unprecedented scale: it will be hosted across three countries (the United States, Canada, and Mexico) for the first time, requiring extensive travel and infrastructure. France 24's environment editor Valerie Dekimpe explores the environmental cost of this expanded format, which fundamentally differs from traditional single-nation tournaments.