Two days before the final, the air quality advice for East Rutherford, where it will be played, is to “reduce outdoor exercise“. The poor air quality is caused by Canadian wildfires, made more likely and intense due to climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

FIFA sponsor Aramco is the world’s biggest oil company and its pollution is therefore directly linked to these extreme weather events. Predicted rain may clear the air and FIFA might escape the climate crisis stopping the World Cup final. But training sessions leading up to the tournament’s most important match may need to be adapted due to climate change.

As the tournament ends, it’s time to look back (and forward!). This briefing by the Cool Down Sports for Climate Action Network, the New Weather Institute and Fossil Free Football focuses on three points:

• The impact of extreme heat and humidity – and the lack of action from FIFA to protect fans, players and officials.
• The promotion of the world’s biggest polluter, Aramco, throughout the World Cup along with other high-carbon companies.
• The climate impact of the tournament itself due to the new greatly enlarged format and choice of host cities.

We look at what this means for the next FIFA tournaments, namely the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2030 FIFA Men’s World Cup taking place across South America, North Africa and Europe.