The 2026 FIFA World Cup is poised to break records, not just for the expanded number of teams and the vast geographical spread of its host cities, but also for its significant environmental impact. For passionate football fans, the dream of following their nation at a World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, for the 2026 tournament, this dream could translate into some of the longest and most carbon-intensive journeys ever undertaken for a major sporting event.
FIFA’s decision to host the tournament across North America – encompassing the United States, Canada, and Mexico – and to expand the competition to 48 teams means that some supporters could face thousands of kilometres of air travel. Analysis suggests that individual fan journeys could generate emissions running into tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The Staggering Carbon Footprint for Fans
Consider an England fan travelling from London. If their team reaches the final, and they choose to fly to every match venue, their carbon footprint could be as high as 3.5 tonnes of CO2. To put this into perspective, this is equivalent to heating an average UK home for 19 months. FIFA anticipates over five million fans will attend the tournament, highlighting the substantial environmental cost associated with this global spectacle.
England’s Gruelling Path: For supporters hoping to follow the Three Lions from their opening match in Dallas on June 17th to the final in New Jersey on July 19th, the itinerary involves extensive air travel. Flying between every venue means a significant amount of time will be spent in the air.
- Group Stage Travel: Fans following England through the group stage alone could travel more than 1,760 miles between host cities.
- Reaching the Final: If England progresses all the way to the final, a fan flying from London and attending every match could clock up at least 14,698 miles. This journey would generate approximately 3.4 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per person.
- Runner-Up Scenario: Should England finish as group runners-up and still reach the final, the mileage increases to at least 15,385 miles, with an estimated 3.5 tonnes of CO2e per fan.
Understanding the Impact of CO2 Emissions
Flying is recognised as the most carbon-intensive mode of transport, releasing greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change. Climate advocates at Thrust Carbon highlight that the potential 3.4 tonnes of CO2e emissions from a single England fan’s travel is comparable to the production of 34,000 plastic bags.
Dr. Stuart Parkinson from Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) described these figures as “deeply disturbing.” He noted that for an England fan to generate 3.4 tonnes of CO2 is equivalent to two to three times the entire annual emissions of an average person in a less developed country like Haiti. This comes at a critical juncture, as the world is striving to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C under the Paris Agreement. “It makes no sense when we look at the impacts of climate change and we’re just shooting past climate targets,” Dr. Parkinson stated, adding that such emission levels are “untenable for the planet.”
Scotland’s Supporters Face Similar Challenges
Scottish fans, returning to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, will also face considerable travel distances. While their group stage travel might be less than their English counterparts, progression in the tournament will significantly increase their mileage and carbon footprint.
- Group Stage: Members of the Tartan Army could travel 1,258 miles between host cities during the group stage.
- Reaching the Final: If Scotland wins their group and reaches the final, including return flights to Edinburgh, supporters could travel over 12,420 miles, generating around 2.8 tonnes of CO2e.
- Runner-Up Route: Reaching the final as group runners-up would push the mileage to approximately 13,771 miles, resulting in about 3.3 tonnes of CO2e per fan.
Tens of thousands of Scottish fans are expected to make the journey to the US, and the growing awareness of environmental impact among supporters is a significant talking point.
The Fan Perspective: Balancing Passion with Responsibility
Paul Goodwin, co-founder of the Scottish Football Supporters’ Association (SFSA), acknowledges the conflict many fans feel. “As a Scotland fan, you really want to be there. You can’t just not travel,” he said. “And I think lots of fans do feel conflicted.”
The SFSA is actively working on initiatives to educate fans about sustainability. “We recognise that football has a responsibility when it comes to the environment,” Goodwin explained. Their aim is to ensure the Tartan Army understands their impact and takes that responsibility seriously, focusing on minimising their footprint and “from a negative produce a positive.”
FIFA’s Response to Environmental Concerns
In a statement, FIFA acknowledged the importance of addressing climate impact and welcomed “informed scrutiny.” The organisation recognises that air travel is a substantial contributor to the overall footprint of major events and that reducing flight-related emissions is a major challenge.
FIFA highlighted several environmental initiatives planned for the tournament:
- Utilisation of Existing Stadia: Maximising the use of pre-existing venues.
- Regional Hosting Model: Aiming to reduce reliance on long-haul travel for a significant portion of attendees by clustering matches regionally.
- Operational Efficiency: Efforts to improve energy efficiency through water conservation, promotion of public transport, and the use of electric vehicles.
- Waste Reduction: Promoting recycling and minimising food waste at key tournament sites.
- Tree Planting: An initiative to plant trees across North America.
Which Teams Face the Furthest Travel?
With 48 teams, travel distances will vary significantly based on group draws and knockout stage progression. While some group-stage fixtures have been regionalised, deep runs in the knockout rounds will inevitably lead to substantial travel for many fanbases.
- UEFA Play-off Qualifier (Group B): Fans of teams like Wales or Northern Ireland, if they qualify, could face over 3,140 miles just for their three group games in Toronto, Inglewood, and Seattle.
- South Africa: Fans of South Africa face the most extensive travel burden, both for the group stage and for an unlikely deep run into the tournament.
- Group Stage: At least 21,090 miles.
- Win Group, Reach Final: At least 22,764 miles.
- Runner-Up, Reach Final: At least 26,834 miles.
The associated emissions for these flights range from 4.7 tonnes of CO2e per fan for the group stage to as much as 5.9 tonnes CO2e per fan in the runner-up-to-final scenario. This is particularly concerning as the average South African’s annual CO2 emissions are around 5.8 tonnes.
- Germany: As a seeded team, German fans face a projected travel burden of at least 17,935 miles if their team wins the group and reaches the final (3.2 tonnes CO2e), rising to 19,770 miles (3.5 tonnes CO2e) if they reach the final as runners-up.
- France: At the other end of the spectrum, France’s group stage travel, excluding international flights, is estimated at just 370 miles, with potential for train travel between some host cities.
The Most Polluting World Cup Yet?
A 2025 report from SGR estimated that the overall carbon footprint of the 2026 World Cup could reach nine million tonnes of CO2e. This figure is nearly double the average of the past four World Cups, potentially making it the most polluting tournament ever staged. Dr. Parkinson equates this to more than six million British cars being driven for a year.
Aviation is estimated to account for a staggering 80-90% of this carbon footprint. “Minimising air travel is one of the most effective ways of reducing your carbon footprint,” he stressed. Dr. Parkinson believes FIFA’s expansion of the tournament “is thoroughly undermining any declared commitment to tackle climate change,” advocating for a reduction in tournament size rather than expansion.
Looking Ahead: Future World Cups and Past Precedents
The trend of expanding and geographically dispersing major sporting events continues. The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with three centenary celebration matches held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. In 2034, Saudi Arabia is set to host the tournament, featuring 11 new stadiums.
In contrast, the Qatar 2022 World Cup was the most compact ever, with minimal internal travel and accessible stadiums via public transport, allowing fans to attend multiple matches daily. Previous large-nation hosts like Brazil (2014) and Russia (2018) involved longer distances, but these were single-country tournaments with fewer teams and games.
Methodology for Travel Calculations
The calculations for fan travel distances were based on:
- Identifying the nearest local airport to each host city.
- Assuming direct international flights for the first and last matches where available, with the shortest indirect routes used otherwise.
- Factoring in train journeys for shorter distances where feasible.
- Utilising an air miles calculator and UK government greenhouse gas conversion data.
It’s important to note that these figures provide an indicator of air miles, travel, and emissions. Actual real-world totals can vary depending on aircraft type, passenger load, seating class, and specific flight routes.
