Football’s global popularity has given the sport a unique opportunity to positively influence the wider decarbonisation effort. A growing number of initiatives sets the example for the game and the wider world to follow.

Stadiums are now built with innovative features to reduce their environmental impact, including energy-efficient lighting, green building materials, renewable energy sources, water conservation strategies, waste management practices and more. Numerous clubs have installed solar panels and wind turbines to power their stadiums. The Amsterdam Arena features both, with one of the largest solar roofs in the world and a wind farm, significantly contributing to the reduction of its carbon footprint.

Dr Dedi

Clubs are also increasingly turning to artificial pitches for their stadiums and training grounds, particularly in Baltic and Scandinavian countries where harsh weather conditions can challenge the beautiful game. While artificial pitches cannot be used in the top European professional leagues, they are common at all other levels of the game. These pitches offer year-round usability at a lower cost compared to natural grass, which requires watering, mowing, pesticide treatments and even artificial lighting to sustain optimal playing conditions.

Several clubs have further launched initiatives to reduce travel-related emissions, such as bike-sharing and EV charging infrastructure. Clubs have also been investigating the adoption of electric buses for team travel and encouraging the use of public transit for fans. Belgian football club, Union Saint-Gilloise, stands out in reducing its air travel emissions, committing to using sustainable aviation fuel for all international flights.

The climate strategy

At COP26 in Glasgow, UK, FIFA’s President accentuated the industry’s determination to play a part in climate change, by launching FIFA’s Climate Strategy which pledges to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040. This pledge underlines the sport’s potential to become a positive influence, and the World Cup is a very powerful event in this regard.

Ras Abu Aboud Stadium in Qatar ... concept.

Large-scale construction projects, such as stadiums, are major contributors to global carbon emissions due to the vast amount of materials and energy required. The construction projects for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar helped establish new standards for sustainability in sporting infrastructure. All stadiums achieved Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certifications for design, construction and operations. The Khalifa International Stadium utilised a combination of low-carbon concrete and recycled materials, effectively minimising its environmental footprint. Although it comes with a significant price premium, low carbon concrete can save 80 per cent of CO₂ emissions as it uses waste from industrial processes.

However, the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, also known as Stadium 974, stood out as the tournament’s symbol of sustainable innovation. Built using around 1,000 recycled shipping containers and modular components, the whole arena could be dismantled after the tournament and its materials be repurposed for other projects. This approach helps reduce construction waste and overall resource use, but perhaps most importantly, sets new standards in temporary infrastructure.

Going beyond the construction of stadiums, Qatar’s first large-scale renewable energy project, the Al Kharsaah power plant, provided up to 10 per cent of the country’s electricity needs during the tournament, while additional solar-powered systems were installed at stadium precincts and training sites to support lighting and cooling requirements.

There are more remarkable examples of low-carbon design adopted in the football world and beyond. Completed in 2017, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (US), is recognised as a leader in sustainability. Its 4,000 solar panels generate around 20 per cent of its total consumption, while its energy needs are minimised by smart design that maximises natural light and ventilation. The venue has reduced water use by 50 per cent compared to a typical modern stadium,through water-efficient fixtures like high-efficiency toilets, drought-resistant landscaping, and water-efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.

The Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, opened in 2019, is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. The venue features an advanced building management system which optimises energy usage by regulating lighting, heating, and ventilation based on real-time occupancy and external weather conditions.

Saudi Arabia 2034

The Populous-designed King Salman Stadium ... expected to host the finals of the FIFA World Cup 2034.

As the world’s most visible construction projects, building the infrastructure for a World Cup is an equally powerful opportunity to demonstrate new, sustainable and forward-thinking construction techniques that can have a long-lasting impact for the environment. The 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia can offer a unique opportunity to set new milestones in sustainability at a wider scale, in terms of the infrastructure construction and the tournament’s energy use, due to its already ambitious scope. Saudi Arabia’s bold plans include constructing 11 new stadiums and refurbishing four existing ones, alongside the development of supporting infrastructure such as airports, hotels, and transport networks. Unlike Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s World Cup will be hosted across five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and Neom.

One very interesting factor will be how the carbon footprint of the tournament is measured, and whether new benchmarks are set in the methodology used to calculate emissions and publish them. Especially in large-scale events like tournaments, there is an increasing demand for transparency and accuracy in how carbon emissions are tracked. The use of more sophisticated tools for real-time tracking of carbon emissions can give a better picture of tournaments’ environmental impact as it can provide a more detailed breakdown of emissions by source.

The World Cup of opportunity

While FIFA World Cup represents a small fraction of the world’s football community – given that most activity occurs at the club level – its high visibility is crucial for football’s broader carbon reduction strategy.

With new infrastructure central to mega projects such as the Saudi Arabia World Cup 2034, the construction industry can leverage this opportunity to pioneer new sustainability standards. The focus on renewable materials, low-carbon design, and optimised energy use cannot only minimise the environmental impact of the tournament but also set a precedent for future infrastructure projects worldwide. Saudi Arabia can demonstrate its commitment to environmental responsibility and drive innovation in the construction industry, as well as carbon accounting and emissions reporting, leaving a lasting legacy of sustainability in sports and beyond.