12 June, 2026

As the FIFA men’s football World Cup kicked off last night, there’s a buzz in the air. Sweepstakes have been drawn, pubs and bars have stocked up, and no doubt many are being inspired to get out and kick a ball around.

And the most popular global sporting event just got even bigger. It will be an endurance event for those following as well as those playing, with 104 matches across thirteen cities in three countries. But it will be an especially gruelling tournament due to the heat risk, which will create some of the most challenging conditions the tournament has been played in.

The impacts will be felt unevenly: eleven teams will have all their pool matches in moderate to high heat stress, ten will have all pool matches in low heat stress locations (including hosts US and Mexico), while others will have to adapt to changing conditions. This isn’t the first time heat will be a challenge in a major sporting event, but it’s becoming more acute as extreme heat becomes more common. It will likely mean players don’t play as well and struggle with recovery.

On the flip side, the World Cup’s impact on climate change is likely to be record breaking. With all those matches across a large area, travel emissions will form the vast majority of the expected 9m tonnes of CO₂e. Although FIFA has dropped its carbon neutrality claim that was shown the red card for greenwashing in the 2022 tournament, increasing to 48 teams, the fact that the event will take place across multiple countries and the continued close links with the oil industry undermines any environmental credibility.

Little brings a nation together like the turbulent highs and lows of a World Cup. But FIFA and other organisers need to be careful to ensure that the events don’t put players and fans at risk, and further fuel the climate crisis, if they want to keep the World Cup as positive and exciting as we know it can be.

By Patrick Bapty