According to carbon accounting platform Greenly, the carbon footprint of the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be 7.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), more than twice the 3.18 million tonnes of CO₂e recorded for the last event held in Qatar in 2022.

The next FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will include 48 participating nations that will compete in 104 games in 16 cities. This makes the World Cup the largest in FIFA's history.

In its assessment, the fan travel to the stadiums turned out to be the most emission-heavy. Fan transportation could create almost 6.82 million tonnes of CO₂e, constituting up to 87% of the entire carbon footprint of the event. Given the great distances between the host cities, there will likely be significant air travel throughout the competition.

Event-related accommodation might be responsible for producing 367,200 tonnes of CO₂e, while the construction and maintenance work for the stadiums could emit 175,000 tonnes. The operation of the stadiums might add more than 63,000 tonnes of CO₂e, while the provision of food, beverages, and merchandising would produce an estimated 80,670 tonnes. Team travel emissions are estimated at 17,677 tonnes.

The figures have brought into focus the effects on the environment due to the increase in international sporting events. Scientists have pointed out that bigger competitions and multinational hosting tend to generate more pollution through transportation despite the use of preexisting stadium structures.

This particular World Cup is one that represents significant changes in the structure of the World Cup competition. The number of participating teams rose to 48 from 32 by FIFA, which is the organiser of the competition.

In a statement, FIFA has released its sustainability and human rights strategy, which includes its efforts towards addressing the environmental, social, and economic effects of the tournament.

The World Cup is anticipated to bring about millions of spectators, while it is also expected to have the biggest global TV audience of any sports event.