Football is the world’s most popular sport, boasting a fan base of 3.5 billion people. Yet its massive popularity and global reach come at a heavy environmental cost. Studies have consistently shown that travel by fans and teams is the main contributor to football’s negative impact on the environment, according to Earth, a website specializing in climate and environmental news.
It is estimated that the global football industry produces more than 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year — roughly equivalent to the total emissions of an entire country like Denmark. But what about the environmental impact of delays related to football tournaments?
The 2022 World Cup: 3.36 Million Tonnes of Carbon
The 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, hosted by Qatar, generated an estimated 3.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions. Transport alone accounted for 52% of these emissions — roughly 1.89 million tonnes. Temporary venues produced a total of 162,556 tonnes, while permanent venues contributed 654,658 tonnes.
Other contributing factors included logistics, media coverage, materials and merchandise, venue operations, as well as electricity, heating, and cooling.
UEFA Euro 2024: Major Environmental Impact
No other sport sees fans travel as extensively and in such massive numbers as football. During UEFA Euro 2020 — which was held across 11 European countries — carbon emissions spiked to unprecedented levels. This year, with the UEFA Nations League Finals hosted in Germany, UEFA is aiming to invest around €32 million (US$34.6 million) in sustainability initiatives to make the tournament more environmentally friendly.
European Football Expansion Threatens the Environment
Next season in Europe will see even greater expansion, partly due to the proposed European Super League, with an additional 177 matches spread across UEFA’s three major competitions: the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.
Research by BBC Sport indicates that expanding the match schedule in Europe’s top competitions could result in fans and teams travelling nearly 2 billion air miles during the 2024/2025 season — up from 1.5 billion miles in the 2022/2023 season.
These journeys are expected to generate nearly half a million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, significantly contributing to global warming. In the 2022/2023 season, 32 teams participated in the tournament, resulting in the release of 386,388 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions from fan and team travel alone.
For the 2024/2025 season, with an expanded lineup of 36 teams, emissions linked to fan and team travel are projected to reach 480,717 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
Carbon Footprint Calculator
UEFA is attempting to address the issue. On 6 March 2024, it launched the Carbon Footprint Calculator, an online tool designed to help clubs and teams manage their carbon emissions — not only from travel but also from goods, facilities, and purchased services. The calculator, which is verified by an independent third party, has been in development for two years.
