The announcement of the 2030 FIFA World Cup being hosted across three continents has sparked environmental concerns.

The tournament, set to take place in Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, will require extensive air travel for teams and fans, raising alarms over increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Guillaume Gouze from the Centre of Sports Law and Economics at the University of Limoges criticized FIFA's decision, stating that the organization has a "moral responsibility" to integrate climate considerations into its planning.

Instead, he described the proposed World Cup as an "ecological aberration." The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams, which will also be seen in the 2026 edition hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, is expected to exacerbate these environmental challenges.

Aurelien Francois, a sports management expert at the University of Rouen, noted, "More teams mean more fans, more capacity needed in hospitality, and more waste."

Adding to the controversy, FIFA's recent sponsorship deal with Saudi Aramco has drawn criticism from environmental and human rights advocates.

An open letter from over a hundred female professional footballers called for the cancellation of the deal, arguing that "FIFA might as well pour oil on the pitch and set it alight."

Experts have suggested several measures to mitigate the environmental impact of the tournament.

These include avoiding awarding the World Cup to cities requiring major new infrastructure and prioritizing ticket sales for fans traveling shorter distances.

Ronan Evain of Football Supporters Europe emphasized the need for more fan zones in soccer-loving cities to recreate the stadium atmosphere without the associated travel emissions.