The World Cup in Qatar Is Carbon Neutral

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FIFA did make a big pledge that the World Cup in Qatar would be carbon neutral. The Qatar definitely stacked against them in meeting that promise, though. You need a lot of stadiums to host a World Cup, and Qatar didn't have them to start off with. And then after that, you've got to get the fans into the stadiums, which brings us on to travel.

It’s supposed to be the first ever carbon neutral World Cup. Organisers Fifa and host Qatar say they have implemented sustainability initiatives, taken measures to limit carbon output and will offset greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing credits. Fifa has admitted, however, that the tournament’s carbon footprint will bigger than any of its predecessors, and experts believe emissions have been underestimated, calling into question the claim of carbon neutrality. Madeleine Finlay speaks to sports reporter Paul MacInnes about the environmental burden of building stadiums, flying in players and fans from around the world and keeping the pitches green, and asks whether football is really ready to face up to its carbon footprint. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod