Pro Sport as Catalyst for Change: Previewing the World Cup (2026) & Olympic Games (2028)
Happy October and Happy Green Sports Day!
This month brings about thoughts of pumpkins, ghouls, gourds, delicious sweets, and crisp mornings. For those in the sustainable sports world, we also think of something less autumnal, Green Sports Day, which is October 6th every year. The Green Sports Alliance defines this day as “worldwide celebration of the positive impact sports can have for people and the planet.”
In celebration of this year’s Green Sports Day, we’re looking towards the global sporting events coming to the U.S. in the next couple of years and how they’re influencing the sustainability of sports venues and operations here. Next summer, eleven U.S. cities across the country will host games for the FIFA World Cup. In 2028, Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games (LA28). With an international eye on these major sporting events in the U.S., and with the pressure of FIFA’s sustainability requirements and the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s robust sustainability commitments, U.S. host cities are ramping up their sustainability efforts.
FIFA and the IOC are significantly raising the bar for their next respective games. The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament to have integrated FIFA’s sustainability and human rights requirements into the bidding process. FIFA requires Host Cities to develop environmental action plans that indicate how they will meet FIFA’s environmental guidelines, including striving to operate with net-zero carbon emissions, aspiring to send zero waste to landfill for events, and aiming for low water usage.
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, one of the FIFA World Cup 2026 host stadiums. Image via The Sporting Tribune.
LA28’s Impact and Sustainability Plan published in June 2025 cites three strategic environmental objectives:
Radical Reuse
A commitment to not build any new permanent venues and to reuse or recycle 90% of materials used for temporary infrastructure. The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes’ Village, which is often newly constructed for the Olympic Games, will be the existing UCLA campus.
Resilience
A commitment to reduce the operational and construction carbon footprint of the LA28 Olympics Games by 10% compared to the Paris 2024 Games. Electricity purchased to power venues will be 100% renewable. The Games Enhanced Transit System, which will consist of borrowed buses brought in to supplement existing public transit, will aim to use 100% zero- or near-zero emission buses. A Community Resilience Fund will be created to invest in local resilience solutions.
Natural Resource Stewardship
LA28 has developed its own Responsible Sourcing Code, which sets minimum environmental requirements that all suppliers must meet to win business with LA28. Suppliers will be evaluated based on their efforts to preserve natural resources, reduce waste and minimize carbon emissions. Additionally, LA28 will develop venue sustainability guidelines and provide training on best practices at 100% of venues.
Catalyzing Change
With the forthcoming pressure on existing venues in the U.S. to operate more sustainably and on suppliers to ensure sustainable resource consumption, we anticipate ripple effects throughout the professional sports industry in the U.S. These two major events may light a fire under companies to be more forward thinking in their operations if they rely on this industry. The FIFA World Cup and the Olympics Games exemplify how sports can be catalysts for change.
Aerial view of Riviera Country Club, host of the LA28 golf competitions. Image via The Riviera Country Club
Katie’s perspective:
While actually reducing carbon emissions and waste from these events is crucially important, the international stage to promote sustainability is where I think the most change can be made. These two events draw the attention of billions of people around the world, and many of them admire one, if not several, professional athletes competing. Sports provide an incredible platform for behavior change and I wish we saw more athletes using that platform to educate about the importance of living, working, and playing with sustainability in mind.
For golf specifically, this game that we love is one of the most dependent on nature. With worsening effects of climate change, golf courses and competitions will be affected more and more. So many golfers take up golf because they want an activity that allows them to be outside and in nature. If we don’t protect the environment, this sport will cease to exist. I would love to see more professional golfers communicate how important protecting the environment is to the vitality of their sport.
LINKS
https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/world-cup-2026-sustainability-strategy/introduction
https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/world-cup-2026-sustainability-strategy/strategy
https://inside.fifa.com/innovation/stadium-guidelines/general-process-guidelines/operations/operating-sustainability