FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s travel during the 2026 World Cup has come under renewed scrutiny after reports detailed the extent of his use of private air travel throughout the tournament, prompting criticism from climate campaigners who question whether it is in line with FIFA’s own environmental commitments.According to reports, Infantino attended 44 of the 104 games of the tournament between the opening game on June 11 and the final between Spain and Argentina on July 19. The expanded tournament was held in 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it the largest and geographically widest World Cup in history.Infantino visited every host city during the competition, often attending more than one game per day.
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On several occasions during the group stage, he watched two matches in different cities, while some days reportedly involved three separate flights to accommodate his schedule.Extensive travel has attracted attention due to the environmental impact associated with private aviation, especially since FIFA has always pledged to reduce its carbon footprint.
Flight data highlights environmental impact
According to Mirror analysis: in flight data, Infantino traveled approximately 106,323 kilometers (66,066 miles) during the tournament aboard a Gulfstream G650 private jet, producing an estimated 1,020.3 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). This distance is roughly equivalent to circling the Earth almost three times, based on the planet’s circumference of about 40,075 kilometers.The BBC noted that the Gulfstream G650ER, the aircraft believed to be used during the tournament, has an average fuel consumption of approximately 1,817 liters per hour. Using the UK government’s greenhouse gas adjustment method, the broadcaster estimates the emissions produced by the group stage.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino signs autographs after Spain beat France in a World Cup semifinal soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Infantino has previously been photographed traveling on a Qatar Airways Executive plane, while reports at this World Cup indicate he is again using a Gulfstream G650ER.
The expanded tournament increases the need for travel
The 2026 edition marks the first World Cup with 48 teams and jointly hosted by three countries, further increasing travel requirements for teams, officials, media and supporters.According to FIFA’s own environmental assessment, the tournament is projected to generate approximately nine million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, almost double the average recorded for all World Cups held between 2010 and 2022. Air travel represents the largest contributor to emissions.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, center, stands with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and FBI Director Kash Patel before the World Cup Group K soccer match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Despite those numbers, FIFA has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.Before the tournament, the governing body outlined several sustainability initiatives, including regionalizing team accommodation to reduce long-distance travel where possible, promoting electric vehicles and public transportation, improving energy efficiency and encouraging water conservation.The issue of FIFA’s environmental claims has previously attracted regulatory attention. In 2023, a Swiss regulator concluded that FIFA had made false statements by describing the 2022 Qatar World Cup as the first carbon-neutral tournament, after relying on carbon offset measures. Following that decision, FIFA said it recognized climate change as “one of the most important challenges of our time” and believed immediate, long-term action was needed.
Campaign groups question consistency
Many environmental organizations have argued that Infantino’s travel choices have undermined the sustainability of FIFA’s message.Frank Huisingh, the founder of Fossil Free Football, said that traveling by private jet was very different from the conditions experienced by the players and supporters during the tournament.“As the players and supporters battled the sweltering heat, Infantino’s Qatari private jet took him from VIP box to VIP box throughout his bloated tournament,” Huisingh said.
President Donald Trump, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attend the World Cup championship final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, NJ, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“There is no perfect description for FIFA’s willful blindness to the climate threats facing football and its fans.”Katie Cross, chief executive of sports sustainability charity Pledgeball, said the reported emissions showed “a total disregard for the longevity of the game, the players and the fans who make it happen.”Andrew Simms, director of the New Weather Institute, described the aircraft emissions as leaving “a cloud of contempt”, while Freddie Daley of Cool Down Sport for the Climate Action Network told BBC Sport that the apparent reliance on private aviation is “a symptom of FIFA’s environmental and sustainability failures.”Jenny Amann, a doctoral researcher at Loughborough University who studies supporters’ attitudes towards climate change and football, said interviews with fans often revealed criticism of FIFA’s leadership on environmental issues.He argued that the reported emissions of Infantino’s trip were “hundreds of times greater than the average produced by a European football fan in a whole year”, adding that such actions are unlikely to encourage supporters to adopt more sustainable behavior.
FIFA defends the president’s travel
FIFA has defended the president’s travel arrangements, maintaining that his schedule reflects official duties at a tournament spread across the continent.A FIFA spokesperson said: BBC Sport that the president “regularly travels, together with relevant officials, on business and matters related to the tournament and tries to visit FIFA member associations whenever he can.”The spokesperson added that travel arrangements are being made as per operational requirements.“Sometimes the travel is organized commercially, including low-cost airlines and sometimes it is by private charter, depending on which is more efficient and cost-effective under the circumstances.”The governing body also stated that FIFA has established internal rules governing the travel of its officials.Unlike the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Infantino attended all 64 matches in eight stadiums located within a relatively short drive of each other, the 2026 tournament presents greater logistical challenges due to its expanded format and the vast distance that separates the host city across North America.While the scale of Infantino’s travel has prompted new debate about football’s environmental impact, FIFA has maintained that its long-term sustainability commitments remain unchanged as it continues to pursue targets to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2040.