Gianni Infantino criticised over 31,000-mile private jet travel during 2026 FIFA World Cup

June 28, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Gianni Infantino criticised over 31,000-mile private jet travel during 2026 FIFA World Cup

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Infantino reportedly flew more than 31,000 miles by private jet during the tournament.
BBC analysis estimated the jet's emissions at about 516 tonnes of CO2e.
Critics say FIFA's climate pledges clash with the president's travel behaviour.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing mounting criticism after reportedly travelling more than 31,000 miles by private jet during the opening two weeks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the organisation's long-standing commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

An investigation by BBC Verify and BBC Sport tracked a private aircraft linked to FIFA and Infantino, revealing that it completed 27 flights across the United States, Canada and Mexico between the tournament's opening match and 27 June.

During that period, the FIFA president attended 24 World Cup matches, often watching two games in different cities on the same day.

The findings have fuelled accusations that football's governing body is failing to match its sustainability ambitions with its own actions.

Extensive travel across the biggest World Cup ever

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest in the competition's history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches and 16 host cities spread across three countries.

Whilst the tournament's geographical scale inevitably requires significant travel, investigators found Infantino frequently relied on private aviation to move between venues.

Several matchdays saw him attend fixtures separated by hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of miles. On multiple occasions, he reportedly boarded three separate flights in a single day.

His longest journey came on 13 June, when he flew approximately 2,800 miles (4,507km) from Vancouver to Miami after watching Australia face Turkey.

Another demanding travel day followed on 15 June, when he travelled more than 2,700 miles (4,000km) from Miami to Seattle for Belgium's match against Egypt before continuing another 960 miles (1,545km) south to Los Angeles in time for Iran's meeting with New Zealand.

Even relatively short journeys were made by air. On 22 June, the aircraft flew just 92 miles (148km) between Philadelphia and Teterboro Airport in New Jersey ahead of a television interview in New York, before continuing to Boston and Toronto for two more World Cup fixtures later that day.

According to the BBC's analysis, the aircraft travelled at least 31,144 miles (50,122km) and spent more than 66 hours airborne during the tournament's group stage alone.

Estimated carbon footprint

Investigators believe the aircraft being used is a Gulfstream G650ER, a long-range business jet capable of carrying up to 19 passengers.

Using greenhouse gas conversion factors published by the UK Government, the BBC estimated that the aircraft generated approximately 516 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) during the opening fortnight of the tournament.

That total is broadly comparable to the average annual greenhouse gas emissions produced by around 78 people worldwide.

Although the exact passenger numbers for each journey remain unknown, environmental experts say private aviation is by far the most carbon-intensive form of air travel.

Denise Auclair, sustainable travel manager at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, said private jets can produce between five and fourteen times more emissions than commercial aircraft, and around fifty times more than rail travel.

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Sustainability promises under fresh scrutiny

The revelations have intensified scrutiny of FIFA's environmental commitments.

In the governing body's 2026 FIFA World Cup Sustainability and Human Rights Strategy, Infantino wrote:

Whether we speak about climate, human rights, diseases or disabilities, we are committed to play our part.

FIFA has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

To support those objectives, organisers said the 2026 tournament would:

Base teams in regional hubs to reduce long-distance travel.
Promote public transport and electric vehicle use.
Encourage energy efficiency and water conservation.
Maximise the use of existing stadiums rather than constructing new venues.

Critics argue, however, that the president's extensive use of private aviation undermines the credibility of those commitments.

Freddie Daley, a researcher at the University of Sussex and member of the sports climate action network Cool Down, described the reported travel as "symptomatic of FIFA's failings on the environment and sustainability".

He said genuine climate leadership should begin with senior decision-makers setting an example through their own travel choices.

FIFA defends travel decisions

Responding to questions from BBC Sport, a FIFA spokesperson said Infantino regularly travels alongside senior officials whilst carrying out tournament and organisational responsibilities.

The FIFA president routinely travels, together with relevant officials, on business and tournament-related matters and strives to visit member associations whenever he can.

The organisation added that transport arrangements vary according to operational requirements.

Sometimes travel is organised on commercial (including low-cost) airlines and sometimes it is on private charter, depending on which is more efficient and cost-effective under the circumstances.

FIFA did not respond to questions regarding how many passengers travelled on the aircraft, whether any tournament journeys were completed on scheduled commercial flights, or whether emissions from the private jet were offset.

Could this become FIFA's most polluting World Cup?

Environmental concerns surrounding the tournament extend well beyond the president's travel.

A report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) estimated that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could generate around nine million tonnes of CO2e, potentially making it the highest-emitting World Cup in history.

The projected total would be almost twice the average carbon footprint of the previous four men's World Cups.

The issue also follows criticism of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, after a Swiss regulator ruled in 2023 that FIFA had made misleading claims by promoting the tournament as carbon neutral through carbon offsetting initiatives.

FIFA has consistently maintained that climate change remains one of the world's most pressing challenges and says it remains committed to delivering long-term environmental improvements.

However, with the tournament spread across an entire continent, Infantino's extensive private jet travel has become one of the clearest examples of the difficult balance between the operational demands of a global sporting event and the environmental commitments expected from its organisers.