How Qatar 2022 will be the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in history

When Qatar was awarded the right to stage the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, it not only committed to organising an amazing tournament – but also a mega-event delivered in a sustainable manner.

In January 2020, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), FIFA and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22) published the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Sustainability Strategy. It was the f­irst such strategy to be planned and delivered jointly by FIFA, the host country and local organisers.

Part of the strategy includes the delivery of the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in the history of the event. To achieve this, all infrastructure projects – including the eight stadiums that will be used for Qatar 2022 – must meet stringent sustainability benchmarks.

“From the beginning, our preparation efforts for Qatar 2022 have been undertaken with the goal of building a sustainable and lasting legacy,” said Engineer Abdulrahman Al Muftah, the SC's Sustainability & Environment Expert. “The sustainability initiatives we have implemented in our projects contribute to Qatar National Vision 2030 and will also have a positive impact on the way future World Cups and other large-scale sporting events are organised around the world.”