The Environmental Cost of the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being billed as the biggest sporting event in history. 48 nations. 104 matches. 16 cities. 3 countries. 5 million fans. $80.1 billion in gross output. $11 billion in revenue for FIFA.But there is another number behind the tournament: an estimated 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.In this episode of Finance of Football, Michael and Asli break down the environmental impact of the expanded 2026 World Cup — and ask whether FIFA can keep growing the tournament while still meeting its own climate goals.The conversation looks at how air travel is expected to drive the majority of emissions, with teams, staff and millions of fans moving across huge distances in the United States, Canada and Mexico. From Argentina fans flying between Miami, Dallas and Kansas City to the possibility of even larger future tournaments, the episode explores how football’s global growth comes with a serious carbon cost.Michael and Asli also examine who benefits financially from this model — from airlines to oil-linked sponsors — and whether green stadium initiatives can really offset the impact of millions of flights.Then, in the weekly World Cup update, they react to potential teacher strikes in Mexico during the tournament and compare Philadelphia’s fan-friendly transit plans with the far more expensive New York/New Jersey transportation pricing.From carbon emissions to flight prices, fan travel, public transport and FIFA’s $11 billion payday, this episode asks a simple question: can the World Cup keep getting bigger without burning through its climate promises?---For more, follow Asli and Michael on InstagramAsli - @brefootcontessaMichael - @michale.loreAnd follow the show…On Instagram - @financeoffootballpodOn Facebook - /financeoffootball---Finance of Football - Nations and Numbers, a Frequency Machine Podcast, is…Written, Hosted, and Produced by Asli Pelit and Michael LoRéEditing and Sound Design by Ryan HammondMixing and Mastering by Julian KwasneskiExecutive Produced by Ryan Hammond,  Stacey Book and Avi Glijansky---Check out more of Frequency Machine’s podcasts - including Undercover Sports, a show about the wildest sports conspiracy theories, at frequencymachine.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.