This special issue, brought together during a time of unprecedented global change, represents a unique collection of papers that shed light on the current and future significance of mycorrhiza-forming fungi in the human world. Across this selection of papers, we explore the significance and potential of mycorrhizal fungi to contribute towards our achievement of global change goals of improved sustainability, food security and conservation as well as how we might best implement mycorrhizal knowledge and technologies to achieve these outcomes in modern societies.