Sir, – I am a strong supporter of the Ireland men’s football team. It was heartbreaking to lose on penalties in Prague last March, but on reflection I am relieved that Ireland failed to qualify for the World Cup, given the contribution travelling fans would have made to what is likely to be the most polluting tournament in history.
There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the 2026 World Cup will be spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, requiring enormous amounts of long-distance air travel both to the tournament and between venues. This contrasts sharply with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where all matches were held within a single country.
Secondly, the 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams rather than the 32 that competed in 2022, significantly increasing the number of matches, supporters and associated emissions.
A 2025 report by Scientists for Global Responsibility estimated the overall carbon footprint of the 2026 World Cup could reach nine million tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) – almost double the average footprint of the previous four World Cups.
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Fifa appears to have little regard for reducing emissions, as it has no plans to scale back the size of future tournaments. The 2030 World Cup, for example, will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with additional matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, requiring further intercontinental travel.
The FAI, together with other national football associations, should use its influence to press Fifa to reduce the environmental impact of future World Cups. To do otherwise, in the face of the increasingly catastrophic effects of climate change, would be deeply irresponsible.- Yours, etc,
Mark Fox,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.
