FIFA President Gianni Infantino traveled almost three times the circumference of the Earth during the World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) 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 during the tournament, prompting criticism from climate campaigners who questioned whether it was in line with FIFA’s own environmental commitments.According to reports, Infantino took part in 44 of the tournament’s 104 matches between the opening match on 11 June and the final between Spain and Argentina on 19 July. The expanded tournament was held in 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it the largest and most geographically extensive World Cup in history.Infantino visited each host city during the competition, often attending more than one match a 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 drawn attention for the environmental impact of private aviation, particularly as FIFA has repeatedly pledged to reduce its carbon footprint.

Flight data highlights environmental impact

According to Mirror analysis flight data, Infantino traveled approximately 106,323 kilometers (66,066 mi) aboard a Gulfstream G650 private jet during the tournament, producing an estimated 1,020.3 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). This distance is roughly equivalent to orbiting the Earth nearly three times, based on the planet’s circumference of about 40,075 kilometers.The BBC noted that the Gulfstream G650ER, the aircraft believed to have been used during the tournament, has an average fuel consumption of around 1,817 liters per hour. Using the UK government’s greenhouse gas conversion methodology, the broadcaster estimated the emissions produced during the group stage.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino signs autographs after Spain defeated France in the semifinals of the World Cup in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Infantino has previously been photographed aboard a Qatar Airways Executive jet, while reports during this World Cup suggested he was once again using a Gulfstream G650ER.

An expanded tournament increases travel demands

The 2026 edition marked the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and was co-hosted by three countries, significantly increasing the travel requirements of teams, officials, media and fans.According to FIFA’s own environmental assessments, the tournament was expected to generate around nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, almost double the average recorded for World Cups held between 2010 and 2022. Aviation is the biggest contributor to these emissions.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, center, stands with United States 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, Florida, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Despite these numbers, FIFA has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2040.Ahead of 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 transport, improving energy efficiency and encouraging water conservation.The issue of FIFA’s environmental claims has attracted the attention of regulators before. In 2023, the Swiss regulator concluded that FIFA had made false statements when it designated the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the first carbon neutral tournament after relying on carbon offset measures. Following this decision, FIFA stated that it considers climate change to be “one of the most pressing challenges of our time” and believes that immediate and sustained action is necessary.

Campaign groups question the consistency

Several environmental organizations claimed Infanta’s travel undermined FIFA’s sustainability reporting.Frank Huisingh, founder of Fossil Free Football, said traveling by private jet was in stark contrast to the conditions experienced by players and supporters during the tournament.“As the players and supporters battled the extreme heat, a Qatari private jet ferried Infantino from VIP box to VIP box across his packed tournament,” Huisingh said.

President Donald Trump, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attend the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

“There couldn’t be a more perfect illustration of 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 reflected “a complete disregard for the longevity of the game, the players and the fans who make it up.”Andrew Simms, director of the New Weather Institute, described the plane’s emissions as leaving behind a “cloud of contempt”, while Freddie Daley of the Cool Down Sport for Climate Action Network told BBC Sport that the apparent reliance on private aviation was “symptomatic of FIFA’s environmental and sustainability failures”.Jenny Amann, a PhD student at Loughborough University who studies fans’ attitudes to climate change and football, said interviews with fans consistently revealed criticism of FIFA’s leadership on environmental issues.She argued that Infantino’s travel emissions were “hundreds of times higher than the average European football fan produces in a whole year”, adding that such actions were unlikely to encourage supporters to adopt more sustainable behaviour.

FIFA defends the president’s journey

FIFA defended the president’s travel arrangements, saying his schedule reflected official duties at a tournament spread across the continent.A FIFA spokesman said BBC Sport that the president “routinely travels with relevant officials on business and tournaments and endeavors to visit FIFA’s member associations whenever possible”.The spokeswoman added that travel arrangements are made according to operational requirements.“Sometimes travel is organized commercially, including low-cost airlines, and sometimes it is private charter flights, depending on what is more efficient and cost-effective under the circumstances.”The governing body also said that FIFA has put in place 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 relatively close apart, the 2026 tournament presented far greater logistical challenges due to its expanded format and the vast distances separating the host cities across North America.While the scale of Infantino’s travels has sparked renewed debate about football’s environmental impact, FIFA says its long-term sustainability commitments remain unchanged as it continues to meet its goals of halving emissions by 2030 and reaching zero by 2040.