Football World Cup
Lame about the 2030 World Cup: FIFA “neglects” environmental aspects
Tournament director of the EM 2024: Philipp Lahm. photo
© Jonas Walzberg/dpa
Philipp Lahm sees some disadvantages of the 2030 World Cup. He lacks an eye for sustainability. That should be different at the home European Championship – that’s another reason why he doesn’t fly to games in a helicopter.
He does like the idea of “incorporating Uruguay into the 100th anniversary.” But since only one game is scheduled to take place in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, “I find it difficult.” The Council of the world association FIFA had announced that the 2030 World Cup should begin with three games in South America and then be played in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. The decision still needs to be confirmed by the FIFA Congress.
Lahm is also missing “the idea of the football festival at this mega tournament: we come together, we see each other, we show how we want to live together.” None of this is “not the case” with FIFA’s plans.
At the 2024 European Championships in Germany, attempts will be made to “minimize travel distances,” emphasized the former DFB captain. Lahm will also refrain from traveling to games by helicopter, as Franz Beckenbauer did at the 2006 home World Cup. It’s “no longer appropriate for people to fly around the country in a helicopter – regardless, I’m not a fan of helicopter flights,” said the 39-year-old. Nevertheless, he wanted to “see every team play and be there at every location.”