England team to emit 154 times that of average Brit if they reach World Cup final

England’s path to the 2026 World Cup final would come with a major climate impact, according to new research estimating the team’s travel emissions at about 154 times the average UK resident’s yearly carbon footprint. The study, from Scientists for Global Responsibility, Fossil Free Football and Stay Grounded, projects emissions based on flights for each potential match. If Thomas Tuchel’s squad reaches the final via the most likely route, it could travel around 39,000 km (24,200 miles) by plane, spending roughly 52.5 hours in the air and emitting about 866 tonnes of CO2e. The report says the 2026 tournament could directly generate over 9m tonnes of CO2e, with around 7.7m tonnes linked to flights across Canada, Mexico and the US. It also cites FIFA’s airline and sponsorship deals with high-emissions companies.