LAUNSANNE, May 22 — The biggest and most lucrative ever World Cup this summer will also set a record for the most-polluting sporting event in history, environmental experts say.
“Unlike the case of the Olympic Games, where the carbon footprints have been reducing over the last several editions, this is totally opposite in the case of Fifa men’s World Cup,” David Gogishvili, a geographer at the University of Lausanne (Unil), told AFP.
The summer’s World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams for the first time. It will be played in three countries—Mexico, Canada and the United States—also for the first time.
It will generate unprecedented revenue but, Unil’s research shows, “produce the largest carbon footprint in the history of international sport”.
Unil’s calculations for CO2-generated emissions range from five to nine million tonnes compared to “around 1.75 million tonnes” for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gogishvili continued.
That figure far surpasses the estimated 2.17 million tonnes of CO2 generated by Russia in 2018, in a far-flung World Cup that involved 40 fewer matches, and the 3.17m tonnes from Qatar in 2022, in a highly compact event criticised for its hastily constructed, oversized and air-conditioned stadiums.
All 16 venues for this summer, from the “smallest” in Toronto with 45,000 seats, to the largest in Arlington, Texas, which holds 94,000 seats, already existed when the Games were awarded, a point highlighted in 2018 by the “United 2026” bid.
The main issue is the vast span between stadiums.
The distance between Miami and Vancouver is more than 4,500 kilometres. That will increase the biggest source of CO2 emissions for international events: air travel for teams, officials, media, and especially the “more than five million fans” targeted by Fifa.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, will travel 5,040 kilometres to play group games in Toronto, Los Angeles and finally Seattle.
‘Fifa’s environmental denial’
FIifapresident Gianni Infantino, who proclaimed his “determination” to combat climate change at COP26 in Glasgow, has pledged to “measure, reduce and offset” emissions related to its World Cups.
But, reprimanded in June 2023 by the Swiss Fairness Commission (CSL) for misleadingly promoting the “climate neutrality” of the 2022 World Cup, Fifa has refrained from any guarantees on 2026.
Environmental analysts agree that the best way to reduce the impact of mega-competitions is to limit their scale, as the International Olympic Committee has done with its quota of 10,500 athletes for the Summer Games, said Gogishvili.
By increasing its flagship tournament from 32 to 48 teams, a year after increasing its World Club Cup from seven to 32 teams, Fifa is doing the exact opposite.
The climate cost of any international match, is “26 to 42 times greater than an elite match” at the national level, said a 2025 report published by the New Weather Institute think-tank.
“A single match during the final stages of the men’s World Cup is responsible for 44,000 to 72,000 tonnes of CO2,” said the report’s writers from the British-based Scientists for Global Responsibility. That, they calculated, was the equivalent to the emissions of 31,500 to 51,500 British cars over an entire year.
Fifa's “insatiable appetite for growth”, said Gogishvili, leads to more matches and, inevitably, “more athletes, more fans, more hotel infrastructure, more flights, it’s kind of a never-ending cycle.”
The 2030 World Cup will be spread across six countries and three continents. It kicks off with a trio of matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay before switching to hosts Morocco, Spain and Portugal for the remaining 101 matches.
The 2034 World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, in a climate comparable to that of Qatar but with 40 more matches in a much larger country. Saudi giant Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, became a major sponsor of Fifa in 2024.
“It would seem that Fifa’s environmental denial will continue,” Gilles Pache, a professor at Aix-Marseille University, wrote in the Journal of Management Research in 2024. — AFP
PARIS, May 21 — With the start of the 2026 World Cup in North America now barely three weeks away, AFP Sport runs the rule over the leading contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals (world ranking in brackets):
France (1)
Les Bleus have won the World Cup twice and lost two finals on penalties in the last seven editions. This will be their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps steps down. “It’s a strange feeling,” admitted Deschamps, in charge since 2012.
France beat Brazil 2-1 in March and then defeated Colombia 3-1 with an entirely different starting line-up, with those games both played in the US. Unbeaten in nine matches since last June, France have a fearsome attack featuring reigning Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki. They will take some stopping.
Spain (2)
The European champions have not lost since winning Euro 2024. Luis de la Fuente’s team are a perfectly-oiled machine in which the standout player is teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. But the 18-year-old Barcelona winger is currently out with a hamstring injury, and reports suggest he might miss their first two group games.
His Barcelona teammate Fermin Lopez is set to miss out entirely with a foot fracture. Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, scorer of eight goals for Spain in 10 games in 2025, has not played since January due to injury. But La Roja still boast fearsome quality — think 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, or Pedri.
Argentina (3)
Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina are dreaming of retaining the title they won in 2022. That tournament marked Lionel Messi’s crowning glory, and it is hard to see how he can hit the same heights again given he turns 39 next month.
Nevertheless, Messi is very much at home in the US now and has 12 goals in 13 MLS games for Inter Miami this year.
Argentina also won the 2024 Copa America in the USA and comfortably topped South American qualifying. Beyond Messi they boast a wealth of attacking talent, including Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Nico Paz, the Tenerife-born attacking midfielder with Como.
England (4)
After several near misses under Gareth Southgate, with agonising defeats in the finals of the last two Euros and exits from the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals and the 2022 quarters, England now hope German Thomas Tuchel can deliver a first title since 1966.
England cruised through qualifying and have formidable depth but there are some doubts. They drew with Uruguay and lost to Japan in March friendlies, while big names like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have not had straightforward campaigns. However, they will hope Harry Kane continues the remarkable form he has shown with Bayern Munich, for whom he has 58 goals this season.
Portugal (5)
Portugal, who have never gone beyond the semi-finals, are serious candidates — provided they are not held back by the possibly overbearing presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
At 41, this will be his sixth World Cup, but the quality of their midfield — Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes — could be the key.
Uefa Nations League winners last year, Portugal stumbled a little in qualifying, losing in Ireland as Ronaldo was sent off. Ronaldo did not play in their last game, a 2-0 friendly win over the USA in Atlanta.
Brazil (6)
Brazil’s progress under new coach Carlo Ancelotti will be fascinating to watch. That the Selecao felt it necessary to turn to an Italian says much about Brazil’s ongoing footballing identity crisis, and their current lack of depth has been exposed by Ancelotti’s decision to name Neymar in his squad.
Now 34 and playing for Santos, Neymar has not been capped since 2023, and Vinicius Junior is Brazil’s attacking leader now.
Since winning their fifth title in 2002, Brazil have only reached the semi-finals once, when they were humiliated 7-1 by Germany as hosts in 2014. They finished fifth in South American qualifying, losing six of 18 games.
“The World Cup won’t be won by a perfect team — because a perfect team doesn’t exist,” insists Ancelotti. “It will be won by the most resilient team.”
Germany (10)
Julian Nagelsmann’s side sit behind the Netherlands, Morocco and Belgium in the rankings and it seems a stretch to suggest Germany could win a first World Cup since 2014.
They suffered group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, and lost in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals as hosts. However, the class of Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz ensure Germany should be taken seriously. — AFP
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LONDON, May 19 — World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons.
AFP Sport looks at five of the contenders to become the game’s next superstar at this year’s finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada:
Nico Paz (Argentina)
The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions despite being born and raised in Spain.
A rising star in the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished in two years working under Cesc Fabregas since a move to Como in Italy.
Madrid are reportedly set to exercise their buyback option on the 21-year-old.
His technical ability and eye for goal from range has alerted Europe’s other top clubs.
Paz could have the daunting task of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expected to manage the 38-year-old’s minutes during the champions’ title defence.
Desire Doue (France)
Doue has already lit up the biggest stage in club football, winning the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan last year.
But this will be the 20-year-old’s first taste of a major international tournament.
Doue has a battle just to ensure he starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling display of attacking talent that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.
But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his quality with his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over Colombia in France’s last outing in March.
Nico O’Reilly (England)
O’Reilly, 21, has already earned the trust of Pep Guardiola to become a regular for Manchester City.
Scorer of two goals from left-back in City’s League Cup final win over Arsenal in March, O’Reilly began his career as a goalscoring midfielder.
Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, speed and skill as an attacking weapon from deep and may have solved a problem position for England coach Thomas Tuchel in the process.
England reached the final of Euro 2024 without a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament due to Luke Shaw’s lack of fitness.
“What a player,” said Guardiola. “He has made an incredible step up and he has had a lot of minutes, but he deserves it.”
Endrick (Brazil)
A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid before his 18th birthday, Endrick’s hopes of shining at the World Cup have been rekindled by a successful loan move at French club Lyon.
Endrick burst onto the international scene by scoring the winner against England at Wembley two years ago and becoming Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo in the process.
Relegated behind international team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his big move to Madrid two years ago, the 19-year-old has found his scoring touch since his switch to France in January.
Often compared to another Brazilian great Romario for his squat but powerful physique, Endrick will be hoping to recreate the former’s success in scoring five goals as Brazil won the World Cup on US soil in 1994.
Pedri (Spain)
Spain’s latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to be a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for both club and country.
After first rising to prominence as an 18-year-old at Euro 2020, Pedri was key to Spain’s run to conquering Europe two years ago in Germany, but injury prevented him from featuring in the semi-finals and final.
For Barcelona he has put his fitness troubles behind him under Hansi Flick, playing a starring role in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the past two seasons. — AFP
PARIS, May 17 — Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described as “excellent” and “constructive” the meeting held on Saturday in Istanbul with the Iranian federation to ensure Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Iranians are scheduled to be based and play all three of their group matches in the US in spite of the war currently being waged in the Middle East.
“We’ve had an excellent meeting, a constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,” said Grafstrom.
“I think we’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them to the World Cup.
“We’ve had the opportunity to discuss some of the operational matters, like we do with every member association.
“But I’m very happy that we were able to have this positive exchange, and both the Iran FA and Fifa are very happy with the meeting and looking forward to welcoming Team Melli in the USA, Canada and Mexico.”
The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, had said on Thursday that no visas had yet been issued for Iran’s team.
But he also described Saturday’s meeting as “positive and constructive” without going into details.
“We discussed our concerns and expressed our joint commitment to ensure the smooth participation of Team Melli,” he said.
The meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation, comes as the Iranian team prepares to leave on Monday morning for a training camp in Turkey before heading to the United States.
Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya. They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.
Iran have qualified for their fourth consecutive finals and, when the squad reaches the US, will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona.
They are due to kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle, in Group G. — AFP
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