The World Cup sent millions of fans across North America this summer. According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, all that travel came at a loss for the climate.
A new study found that spectator travel is by far the biggest source of emissions at major sporting events and concert tours.
Analysing Coldplay’s 2024 European tour alongside projections for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, researchers found spectator travel accounted for 97 per cent of emissions from the band’s concerts and 82 per cent of the tournament’s projected carbon footprint.
The findings suggest organisers have been focusing on the wrong source of emissions.
Rather than relying on carbon offsets, researchers argue ‘mega events’ should encourage audiences to travel more sustainably by rewarding lower-carbon transport choices.
