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

Featured Stories

  • Lemonade Posts Another Quarterly Loss
  • Tesla Must Pay $243M Over Fatal Autopilot Crash
  • 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.

Allstate Q2 Income Eclipses $2B as Auto Turns in Combined Ratio of 86
Interest rates and dividends Business development with percentagNew Law Orders Louisiana Insurers to Show Prior Policy Premiums
‘Soft Market Under Stress’ Offers Unique Window of Opportunity for Insurance Buyers
Demotech’s Petrelli Responds to WSJ Article. Others Say it Echoes Old Concerns

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
Great Barrier Reef Records Largest Annual Coral Loss in 39 Years
Ontario Teachers’ Sells Stake in French Broker Diot-Siaci to Private Equity Firm Ardian
Australia’s Privacy Regulator Sues Optus Over 2022 Data Breach
BHP, Vale Offer $1.4B Settlement in UK Lawsuit Over Brazil Mining-Dam Disaster: FT
More News Features

Read This Next

  • FIFA Made False Claims About Carbon Neutrality at Qatar World Cup: Regulator
  • Aon Reports 6% Organic Revenue Growth, Boosted by Commercial, Reinsurance Lines
  • Independent Agencies' Market Share Shows Small Decline; Strong Hold on Commercial Lines with Opportunity to Grow in Personal Lines
  • Viewpoint: Rising False Advertising Claims Reveal Major Coverage Protection Gap
  • Lemonade Posts Another Quarterly Loss but Car Growth Continues

Insurance Jobs

  • Insurance Account Executive/Manager Wanted Flexible Hours, Potential Equity - Dix Hills/Deer Park, NY
  • Sales Agent - Encino, California
  • Document Support Specialist - Saint Paul, MN
  • Excess & Surplus Lines Underwriter – REMOTE - Remote
  • Commercial Insurance Underwriter, Account Executive-National Programs - Saint Paul, MN
MyNewMarkets
  • DIY Home Inspections Are Taking Over, Firms Say
  • Six Things to Know About Umbrella Insurance
  • What to Know About Construction and Environmental Liability
  • How Embedded Insurance Supports Real Livelihoods in the Growing On-Demand Economy
  • How to Keep Third-Party Events from Becoming First-Party Losses
Claims Journal
  • Lemonade Posts Another Quarterly Loss But Car Growth Continues
  • Missouri's 2025 Insured Losses From Severe Weather Approaching $2 Billion
  • Prudential in $100M FTC Settlement Over Unit's Healthcare Promises
  • Allstate to Pay About $500K on Georgia Claim Highlighted in Hearing, Senator Says
  • J&J Talc Evidence Gets Review by Ex-Judge at Drugmaker Law Firm
Academy of Insurance education
  • August 7 EPLI Basics
  • August 14 Managing and Insuring Reputational Risk
  • August 19 How To Write: Flood
  • August 21 Workers' Comp Crash Course

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