Costing the Earth: Critical Reflections on the Growth of FIFA’s World Cup Tournaments

The paper provides a critical analysis of the growth of FIFA’s World Cup tournaments. Consideration is given to FIFA’s status as a global organization, specifically its extensive reach, standing, and responsibility, as well as the interests and concerns driving its expansion policies. While expansion has fostered greater inclusion and increased global engagement it has also aroused growing climate and environmental concerns. FIFA claims to have a broad social mission, a fundamental social role, and acknowledges the requirement for good governance. In addition, FIFA has expressed a commitment to the protection of human rights and has outlined its climate strategy, which it claims will lead it to ‘climate-friendly performance’ Drawing on historical data, research papers, and a range of reports, the paper provides a critical examination of FIFA’s stated aims, claims and practices, its expansion policies, tournament decisions, and the question of its impact on the climate and the environment.