Skip to content
  • MyNewMarkets.com
  • Claims Journal
  • Insurance Journal TV
  • Academy of Insurance
  • Carrier Management
Insurance Journal - Property Casualty Industry News

Featured Stories

  • Lengthy Government Shutdown to Impact Insurers
  • FEMA, Customs and Border Protection Staff Data Stolen
  • Articles
  • Jobs
  • Markets

Current Magazine

current magazine
  • Read Online
  • Subscribe
  • Login
  • Front Page
    • National
    • International
    • Most Popular
    • Magazine
    • Forums
    • Blogs
    • Videos/Podcasts
    • Newsletters
  • News
    • Most Popular
    • National
    • International
    • East
    • Midwest
    • South Central
    • Southeast
    • West
  • Magazines
  • Research
  • Directories
  • Jobs
  • Features
    • Events
    • Forums
    • Market Directories
    • Quotes
    • Polls
    • Rankings & Awards
    • Insurance Giving Back
  • Subscribe

FIFA Made False Claims About Carbon Neutrality at Qatar World Cup: Regulator

By John Revill | June 8, 2023
Email This Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Article

Soccer’s world governing body FIFA made false and misleading statements about the reduced environmental impact of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a Swiss regulator said on Wednesday.

The Swiss Fairness Commission, the self-regulatory body of the advertising and communications industry, made its determination after investigating five claims that Zurich-based FIFA marketed the tournament as being carbon neutral.

The commission, which issues recommendations, but no state-enforceable judgements, advised FIFA from making unsubstantiated claims in future. It said complainants usually implement its recommendations voluntarily.

FIFA said it was “fully aware” of the environmental impact its events have and has been making “substantial efforts to tackle those impacts.”

The organization said it was analyzing the reasons for the commission’s recommendation, and may appeal.

Complainants from Switzerland, France, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands said FIFA made false statements in its communications about carbon neutrality at the World Cup, the commission said.

“The Second Chamber of the Commission has now upheld all five complaints following a complex process,” it added.

FIFA had promoted the Qatar World Cup as the first completely climate neutral tournament, saying it was committed to reducing and offsetting carbon emissions it generated.

But the Climate Alliance, a network of groups which launched the complaint last year, was concerned about the environmental impact from the construction of air-conditioned stadiums and the thousands of fans who flew to the tournament.

In its decision, the commission said it should not be claimed that sustainability goals have been achieved if there are no definitive and generally accepted methods for measuring them, or ensuring measures have been implemented.

“FIFA was not able to provide proof that the claims were accurate during the proceedings as required by the commission,” it said.

Raphael Mahaim, from the group Lawyers for the Climate, said he was delighted with the ruling which he said exposed FIFA’s greenwashing.

“FIFA said it was taking the climate change seriously, and taking the credit for this, and this wasn’t true,” he said.

FIFA’s claims were damaging because it meant companies and individuals scaling back their own action to reduce their carbon emissions because they thought FIFA had offset them.

“Ultimately, false claims like this damage the campaign for carbon neutrality,” said Mahaim, who is also a Swiss MP for the Green Party.

Copyright 2025 Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Topics Claims

Was this article valuable?

Thank you! Please tell us what we can do to improve this article.

Thank you! % of people found this article valuable. Please tell us what you liked about it.

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

AIG Promotes 3 to Lead North America Commercial as Bailey Retires
Charlie Javice Duped JPMorgan Out of $175 Million. Bank Is Picking Up Her Legal Tab
IBHS Study Shows Smaller Hail May Be More Damaging to Roofs Than Once Believed
Florida’s Citizens Is Deferring Flood Coverage Proof While NFIP Is Shut Down

Written By John Revill

More From Author

Interested in Claims?

Get automatic alerts for this topic.

Email This Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Categories: International & Reinsurance NewsTopics: Carbon neutral, environmental social governance (ESG, FIFA, greenwashing
  • Have a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk@insurancejournal.com
More News
Markets/Coverages: Special Contingency Risks Offers Enhanced Victim Support Cover
Ex-Fed Official Sees Secular ‘Shocks’ Ahead From Extreme Weather
La Niña’s Back, but Will It Amp Up Hurricane Season?
People Moves: Aon Names Chisholm as Chairman of Asia Reinsurance Solutions; Markel Appoints Luxford as Head of Distribution and MGA Strategy, Australia
More News Features

Read This Next

  • FIFA Made False Claims About Carbon Neutrality at Qatar World Cup: Regulator
  • Florida Reforms Are Truly Making a Difference, Gallagher Re Report Finds
  • IBHS Study Shows Smaller Hail May Be More Damaging to Roofs Than Once Believed
  • Hurricane Katrina Impacts Then and Now
  • Uber Found Not Liable in First Trial Over Driver Sexual Assault Claims

Insurance Jobs

  • Business Development Representative - Remote/Pittsburgh, PA/Allentown, PA
  • Senior Insurance Agent (3+ Yrs P&C Exp | W-2 | Warm Leads | In-Office Only) Senior Insurance Agent (3+ Yrs P&C Exp | W-2 | Warm Leads | In-Office Only) - Westminster, CO
  • Claims Manager, Insurance & Risk Management - Queens, New York
  • Customer Service Agent – Personal Lines - Bethlehem, PA
  • Senior Director, Domain Data Strategy Lead (Underwriting, Operations) - Hartford, CT
MyNewMarkets
  • AI for Agents
  • How to Attract the Next Generation to Insurance
  • 5 Evolving Trends Shaping Architects and Engineers Coverage
  • Rethinking Assault & Battery Liability in Commercial Real Estate
  • From Golf Greens to Sausage Fests: The Wild World of Prize Insurance
Claims Journal
  • Jury Hits Samsung With $445.5M Verdict Over Wireless Communications Patents
  • New York City And Northeast Brace for Flooding Rains From Weekend Storm
  • La Niña Is Back, But It's Weak And May Be Brief. Will It Still Amp up The Atlantic Hurricane Season?
  • EV Estimatics Training Is The Smart Strategic Response to Industry Shifts
  • The World Is Far More Ablaze Now With Damaging Fires Than In 1980s, Study Shows
Academy of Insurance education
  • October 9 Forward Into The Past: Certificates of Insurance, Additional Insureds, and Other Contractual Risk Transfer Issues
  • October 16 Auto Insurance: You Get What You Pay For
  • October 23 Gotchas That'll Getchya - Latest Policy Language That'll Get You Sued
  • October 30 Challenges in Agency Mergers – Reducing Staff Flight and Avoiding E&O Claims

Insurance News

  • News by Region
  • News by Topic
  • Yesterday

Site Search

Features

  • Insurance Markets Directory
  • Forums
  • A.M. Best Company Ratings
  • Industry Events
  • Agencies For Sale
  • Newswire
  • Insurance Jobs
  • Rankings & Awards

Connect with us

  • Email Newsletters
  • Magazine Subscriptions
  • For Your Website
  • RSS Feeds
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Do Not Sell My Info

Insurance Journal

  • Submit News
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Reprints
  • Link to Us
  • Contact Us

Wells Media Group Network

  • Insurance Journal
  • MyNewMarkets.com
  • Claims Journal
  • Insurance Journal TV
  • Academy of Insurance
  • Carrier Management
© 2025 by Wells Media Group, Inc. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site Map