Football’s climate challenge: The way ahead

The FIFA World Cup has always been a celebration of football, bringing together nations, cultures and millions of fans around the world. It is a stage for unforgettable goals, intense rivalries and moments of sporting history.

However, the modern game is facing a challenge beyond the football pitch. Climate change is increasingly becoming a factor affecting how tournaments are organised, how players perform and how fans experience the sport. The recently concluded FIFA World Cup in North America provided a clear example of this challenge. The expanded 48-team tournament was the largest in the competition’s history, with 104 matches played across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament involved extensive travel between host cities, adding to concerns about its environmental footprint.

Estimates of the tournament’s carbon footprint varied depending on the methodology used. One assessment by global carbon accounting platform Greenly put the figure at around 7.8 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide. Other research has produced lower estimates, but spectator and team travel remained among the biggest contributors. The completed tournament has therefore provided an important case study for the future of major sporting events in a warming world. Football, like many other global sports, depends heavily on weather conditions, and rising temperatures are directly influencing player safety, match scheduling and stadium operations. The 2026 World Cup was played during the North American summer, with several venues facing high temperatures and humidity.

For players, extreme heat poses a serious health concern. High temperatures combined with humidity can increase the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration and other heat-related illnesses. The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which considers temperature, humidity, sunlight and wind conditions, has become an important measure for assessing heat stress during sporting events.

The 2026 tournament also saw FIFA introduce mandatory hydration breaks during matches, reflecting growing concern over heat and player welfare. The measure showed how climate conditions are no longer an issue that football authorities can treat as an occasional problem. They are becoming part of tournament planning itself. However, the experience also highlights the need for stronger and more science-based heat policies. Medical teams must have sufficient authority to respond when conditions become dangerous. Clear temperature limits, reliable monitoring systems, cooling measures and flexible scheduling should remain central to future tournaments.

Climate responsibility has also become an important issue within football governance. Ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, FIFA described the tournament as a carbon-neutral event and promoted environmental responsibility. However, those claims faced criticism over how emissions were calculated and whether climate commitments matched actual outcomes. FIFA was later asked to avoid making climate-neutral World Cup claims without stronger evidence. The debate has shown that sustainability in football cannot remain limited to announcements and campaigns. It requires measurable action, transparent reporting and long-term planning. The experience of the 2026 World Cup makes that requirement even more important.
Football’s global influence gives it a unique opportunity to become a leader in climate action. The sport reaches billions of people and can turn its popularity into a powerful platform for environmental awareness. Stadiums, training facilities and fan zones need to move towards low-carbon designs. Renewable energy, efficient water management, sustainable construction materials and waste reduction can significantly reduce the environmental impact of tournaments. Future sporting venues should not only host matches but also become examples of climate-resilient infrastructure.

International tournaments involve massive movement of teams, officials and supporters. The 2026 World Cup demonstrated the scale of this challenge, with matches spread across 16 host cities in three countries. Better scheduling, improved public transport, low-emission mobility solutions and reduced unnecessary travel can help lower emissions. Host countries can also focus on more compact tournament models that reduce long-distance movement. Player welfare must remain a priority. Football authorities need science-based heat policies that allow medical teams to make decisions without pressure from competition schedules. Mandatory cooling or hydration breaks, flexible match timings, hydration protocols and heat monitoring should become standard practices wherever conditions pose a serious risk.

Technology can also play a major role in making football greener. Digital tools can help measure carbon emissions, manage energy use and improve fan engagement. Smart stadium systems, renewable energy solutions and real-time environmental monitoring can make future tournaments more efficient and sustainable. The influence of football extends far beyond stadiums. Players, clubs and governing bodies can use their platforms to encourage sustainable habits among fans. Community programmes, school initiatives and public campaigns can help create greater awareness about climate responsibility. Sustainable sports development will also require investment. Green finance can support climate-friendly stadiums, renewable energy projects, sustainable transport systems and community resilience programmes. Funding models that connect sports growth with environmental goals can help create long-term benefits.

Climate change is changing the conditions in which football is played. The challenge is not only about protecting tournaments from rising temperatures but also about ensuring that the sport contributes to addressing the climate crisis.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has now concluded, but its environmental lessons will remain relevant for future editions. The tournament demonstrated both the global appeal of an expanded World Cup and the environmental challenges created by its scale. FIFA’s own sustainability strategy provides a framework for addressing these concerns, but implementation, transparency and measurable results will be crucial.
The FIFA World Cup represents more than a competition. It is a global platform capable of influencing attitudes, policies and behaviour. The way ahead is clear: football must combine sporting excellence with environmental responsibility. The beautiful game can continue to thrive while helping protect the planet on which it is played.