When my son was about 6 years old, he began playing soccer in a local league. Perhaps some of you moms and pops can relate to this but I was “volunteered” by my wife to be his team’s coach. I knew very little about soccer, but I quickly learned the basics. I spent two seasons as coach, have grown to love the game, and have followed my son’s progress ever since—from the parents’ side of the field. (What an adventure even that can be.)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11 and finishes on July 19. Matches will take place in 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. AHLA produced an economic impact report in April that showed a widespread softness relative to initial expectations with bookings even behind a typical summer. Challenges range from visa barriers and broader geopolitical concerns to tax and fees proposals.
That said, the impact of the games will still be huge. For those of you hosting World Cup fans, it is a great opportunity to shine a light on your sustainability initiatives: making it easy to reduce waste—especially plastic waste—recycle, conserve water, and reduce energy consumption. Connect a roomnight to a tree planted or some other important cause. Post a QR code around your property to a page that summarizes your CSR initiatives. Show how your company supports its local soccer teams. Through signage and other means, push your guests to your bar and restaurant where they can enjoy the games. Post the World Cup schedule. Offer World Cup drink or dinner specials.
Did you know that soccer is the number one sport in the world? With an estimated 3.5 billion fans across the globe, it dominates due to its massive global television viewership and the accessibility of the game.
Emphasis on Long-Lasting Positive Impact
FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the international governing body of association football (soccer), futsal, and beach soccer, will be doing what it can to reduce environmental impacts. Read about its Environmental pillar here.
“The Host Cities are not only key delivery partners; they are also our legacy,” says Amy Hopfinger, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer, FIFA26 Inc. “They can ensure that the World Cup has a positive impact on communities and the achievement of environmental goals months and years after the tournament.”
The Host Stadiums
Several years ago I had an opportunity to tour Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium—a host stadium. It is the first professional sports venue in North America to earn LEED Platinum certification. It features 4,000 solar panels generating 1.6 million kilowatt-hours annually, a 1.1-million-gallon underground cistern for rainwater capture, and high-efficiency lighting and climate systems.
Other host stadiums with outstanding environmental initiatives:
- BC Place (Vancouver, Canada): British Columbia generates over 95 percent of its electricity from renewable sources (largely hydropower). It is highly walkable and has 26 public transit stops within a 10-minute walk.
- Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia): This LEED Platinum certified facility generates 40 percent of its total energy from over 10,000 on-site solar panels. It also utilizes hydrogen refueling stations to power electric vehicles and operates a zero-waste-to-landfill system.
- Houston Stadium: It is powered by a pledge to supply all main official tournament sites with 100 percent renewable electricity. Additionally, the city developed a “Green Corridor” of hike-and-bike trails, native tree plantings, and sustainable METRORail transit lines to connect the stadium with the official Fan Festival.
- Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area): A LEED Gold certified venue. Its campus includes a massive green roof and heavily relies on solar energy to offset power consumption.
Last World Cup was an exciting one for my family with my wife being from Argentina. Will the G.O.A.T. (Lionel Messi) repeat?
Please be sure to share your “green” World Cup preparations and initiatives with me. I would love to learn about them. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in our Green Supplier Spotlights!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes the Wednesday Green Supplier Spotlight and Thursday Green Suppliers Spotlight. Green Supplier Spotlight features just one vendor and Green Suppliers Spotlight features multiple vendors. Click here for a Green Supplier Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample and rate sheet. Both e-blasts that reach 17,881 subscribers have been built to generate quick leads. A report is sent a week after each e-blast that includes the number of e-mails sent, number of opens, and number of click-throughs. Contact Glenn Hasek at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com for more information.
Planning Advertising for 2026?
In addition to the Spotlight ads described above, Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for other advertising spots for 2026. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. The Green Lodging News website last month welcomed 42,000 different visitors and experienced 291,000 total visits. Interested in receiving a 2026 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlights currently stands at 17,881. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,622 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has more than 1,200 Facebook followers.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
