Will RichardsonHead of EcoSystems and Networks, 51toCarbonZero · Sustainability & Net-Zero Strategy Leader | Helping £100m+ Enterprises Cut Climate Risk & Operating Costs | Head of EcoSystems & Networks | Host of Sustainability Solved Podcast

FIFA's Most Controversial Sponsorship Yet #fifa2026 #saudiaramco #football

9 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In this segment, Will Richardson expresses strong disapproval of FIFA's decision to name Saudi Aramco as the title sponsor for the 2026 World Cup. He highlights that Saudi Aramco is the world's largest corporate greenhouse‑gas emitter, responsible for over 4% of global emissions since 1965. Researchers estimate that the sponsorship could boost Aramco's fossil‑fuel sales, resulting in an additional ~30 million tonnes of CO₂—approximately three times the direct carbon footprint of the tournament itself. Richardson frames the sponsorship as an ethical and environmental problem, arguing that the partnership effectively amplifies climate‑harmful activity beyond the event's own emissions.

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The sponsor that shouldn't exist, that frankly made me really angry when I read it. In April 2024, FIFA announced Saudi Aramco as the title sponsor of the 2026 World Cup. Saudi Aramco is the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitter. One company responsible for over 4% of emissions since 1965. Researchers estimate that Aramco sponsorship will trigger a sales boost equivalent to 30 million tons of additional CO2. This is not emissions from the tournament. That is emissions from the extra fossil fuels Aramco will sell because they are associated with it. 3 times bigger than the tournament's own footprint.