From World Cup stadiums to grassroots games: making sustainability part of football’s DNA for Saudi’s 2034 World Cup

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Dr Valentina Dedi, Lead Economist at KBR

KBR's energy consulting team advises governments and businesses on investment and economic strategies for energy and infrastructure. A holistic approach to examining the impact of any industry is key to advising the best way to engineer a sustainable future. Our lead economist looked at the opportunities for the football industry to reduce its CO2 emissions in the wake of Saudi Arabia being selected to host the 2034 World Cup.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was the most successful edition to date, capturing a global audience of five billion viewers and welcoming 1.2 million fans in person. Taking place six years after the signing of the Paris Agreement, the tournament's organisers placed a strong emphasis on sustainability, resulting in some noteworthy achievements.

These included Al Kharsaah, Qatar's first large-scale renewable energy project, which supplied up to 10% of the country's electricity during the event, while additional solar-powered systems lit and cooled stadium precincts and training sites.

A standout example of this eco-minded approach was Stadium 974, constructed with recycled shipping containers and modular components. Post-World Cup, it was fully dismantled - thereby demonstrating how innovative, temporary infrastructure can reduce construction waste.

Other stadiums also attained Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certifications, reflecting an unprecedented collective effort to cut carbon emissions. Together, these measures underscored that major sporting events can be catalysts for technological progress, by reshaping how stadiums are built and operated.

Of course, football's environmental impact goes far beyond its high-profile tournaments. The sport as a whole generates over 30 million tonnes of CO₂ each year. That's roughly equal to the annual emissions of a mid-sized country. This figure covers everything from stadium lighting to international travel for players and fans, and it highlights the scale of change needed.

Although Qatar's World Cup proved that greener methods can work at the top level, a lasting shift depends on sustainable practices filtering into everyday football culture.

Much of the world's football action occurs at smaller clubs, from semi-professional sides to grassroots teams. Financial constraints often limit how far these clubs can invest in decarbonising their operations: installing solar panels or switching to alternative fuels can be prohibitively expensive.

In fact, even at elite levels, the high cost of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can be a deterrent. Given that FIFA's climate goals remain largely voluntary, industry-wide adoption hinges on football's governing bodies deciding to establish firmer regulations and provide financial support.

The upcoming 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia could potentially mark a turning point. Plans for the tournament include constructing 11 new stadiums and updating four existing ones across five cities - a vast undertaking that presents both challenges and opportunities.

On one hand, building multiple large venues drives up emissions and demands substantial resources. On the other, it provides a blank canvas to test low-carbon materials; improve public transport links; and integrate renewable energy sources at a scale similar to, or even exceeding, what was achieved in Qatar.

To make these changes meaningful, governments, sponsors and federations need to champion sustainability within smaller football communities. A unified system of measuring and reporting emissions can drive transparency and consistency, enabling every club - whether amateur or professional - to assess its carbon footprint and set realistic targets.

Over time, embedding sustainable strategies into everything from training-ground maintenance to match-day travel would ensure that the sport's green ambitions do not end when a World Cup finishes.

Football is uniquely placed to shape attitudes and behaviours on a massive scale. By placing environmental considerations at the heart of the game - from Sunday league pitches to global super-stadiums - the passion that football inspires could become a powerful lever for decarbonisation. The potential benefits for the planet - and the planet's favourite game - are immense.