Lightning storms, suspended matches, and unbearable temperatures: the 2025 Club World Cup, which ended yesterday in the United States, became a symbol of how deeply the climate crisis is affecting the world of sports. What was supposed to be a spectacular football tournament often turned into a race against the weather.
Football and Climate Change
The images spoke for themselves: pitches damaged by sudden downpours, matches suspended due to lightning storms, and players forced to take the field in temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F). In the United States — which hosted both the 2025 Club World Cup and will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup — climate change has already disrupted sports planning.
It wasn’t just a scheduling issue, but one of safety and sustainability. The risks affected not only the quality of play, but also the health of athletes, fans, and the overall environmental impact of the events.
2026 Is Around the Corner: We Need Data, Forecasts, and Concrete Action
If 2025 served as a wake-up call, 2026 will be the real test. Organizing a low-impact World Cup that can withstand unpredictable weather will require a step forward in managing data, risks, and resources.
And that’s exactly where predictive technology comes into play.
TreeBlock One: Sustainability Starts with Smart Forecasting
TreeBlock One, the software developed by TreeBlock, was created for this purpose: to turn environmental and operational data into practical tools to anticipate problems, reduce emissions, and plan smart strategies.
Thanks to real-time environmental KPI analysis, TreeBlock One can support the organization of large-scale sporting events like the World Cup in several ways:
- Forecasting critical weather conditions well in advance
- Identifying the most sustainable locations for matches, training camps, and logistics
- Monitoring the event’s ecological footprint at every stage
- Suggesting low-impact solutions for travel, consumption, and supplies
- Enabling data-driven decision-making even in emergencies
In a country like the U.S. — vast, complex, and increasingly exposed to extreme events — planning without predictive tools is like playing without a strategy.
Offsetting Is No Longer Enough: Prevention Is Key
The time for vague green promises is over. Football, like many other sectors, needs concrete action. And it’s no longer just about offsetting emissions — today we can prevent harmful impacts from the outset, through the strategic use of technology, data, and artificial intelligence.
TreeBlock One is not just a tool: it represents a vision for a sustainable sporting future, where climate, sport, and innovation coexist in balance.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 World Cup: Let’s Be Ready
The 2025 Club World Cup gave us an important lesson. It’s up to us — organizers, companies, institutions, and fans — to listen and act accordingly. TreeBlock will continue working in this direction: to make football, and every major event, not only spectacular but also sustainable.