Energy Magazine June 2026 | Page 82

RENEWABLE ENERGY
FIFA says that it“ recognises that air travel is a significant contributor to the overall footprint of any major event,” adding that“ it is clear that reducing emissions linked to flights is one of the biggest sustainability challenges major event organisers face”.
But to focus solely on that headline number would be to miss a more nuanced story unfolding at the venue level.
CREDIT: KEVIN C. COX VIA GETTY IMAGES
The stadiums Unlike recent tournaments in Qatar and Russia, which required expensive, purpose-built infrastructure, the North American hosts are leaning entirely on existing stadiums.
That decision has its own energy logic: no carbon-intensive construction, no freshly poured concrete and no venues standing half-empty once the final whistle blows.
82 June 2026
CREDIT: ALEX GRIMM VIA GETTY IMAGES