World’s biggest football stadiums face catastrophic climate losses

The analysis includes all 12 American arenas set to be used for next year’s FIFA World Cup 2025. 

Overall, Climate X looked at 37 stadiums, with 25 of Europe’s largest counted alongside those in North and Central America that will host the 2025 FIFA World Cup Finals. By 2050, the stadia could face collective financial losses of $800million due to climate change. 

Using its Spectra platform, the organisation has modelled the potential impact of 10 climate hazards and the increased frequency and ferocity of environmental events. Floods, droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat were all taken into account based on the high emissions RCP 8.5 scenario – the worst case outcome that would result from no reduction to greenhouse gas output this century. 

Currently, Florida’s Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium rank highest for exposure risk, scoring 4 on the Climate X scale. Lincoln Financial Field, Pennsylvania, Principality Stadium in Wales, Estadio Benito Villamarín, Spain, and Ohio’s TQL Stadium ranked only slightly better, with a rating of 3.

However, by 2050 France’s France, Oaka Stadium, Greece, and Estadio Benito Villamarín  would all see risk elevated to 4. While this shows a global impact, the larges concentration of high risk stadiums is in the US, where six of the arenas are located. Overall, 40% of the total combined projected losses can be attributed to just three stadiums, with surface flooding and extreme heat the most pervasive threats. Some losses would reach 2% of the venue’s replacement value annually. 

‘This data is a stark reminder of the mounting threats climate change poses to the infrastructure underpinning global events,’ said Lukky Ahmed, CEO of Climate X. ‘As we celebrate the world’s love for football, we must also confront the sobering reality that some of the sport’s most cherished venues are at risk.

‘Stakeholders must take immediate action to safeguard these assets and ensure the sustainability of future events,’ Ahmed continued. ‘Football stadiums are more than sporting venues – they are economic and cultural linchpins for local communities. Rising climate risks could lead to increased repair costs, disruptions to events, and soaring insurance premiums. For host cities of the 2025 FIFA World Cup, these risks could have far-reaching consequences for their local economies.’

More on climate change and net zero: 

UK’s first bio-based Materials Regulatory Network gets funding

30 year restoration and rewilding project begins at Castle Howard

Minister for Science supports ‘biodegradable net zero transition’

Image: Samuel Regan-Asante via Unsplash