Gianni Infantino’s travel around World Cup 2026 has drawn attention for a simple reason: the Fifa president is being linked with private jet use while the game’s governing body talks about sustainability. That contrast has become the sharpest part of the story, especially as climate critics question what leadership on environmental issues should look like at the top of Fifa.
According to a Fifa representative cited by www.bbc.com, the president routinely travels with relevant officials on business and tournament-related matters and visits member associations whenever possible. The representative also said travel is sometimes arranged on commercial airlines, including low-cost carriers, and sometimes on private charter when that is considered more efficient and cost-effective.
What Fifa Says About Its Travel Choices
Fifa did not say whether any of the flights to World Cup games were on commercial airlines. It also did not answer questions about how many people travel on the Qatar Executive jet or whether Fifa offsets the emissions from those trips.
The silence matters because the travel method sits at the center of a wider sustainability debate. Cool Down researcher Freddie Daley said Infantino’s apparent use of a private jet at the World Cup is “symptomatic of Fifa’s failings on the environment and sustainability”.
Why The Jet Use Draws Criticism
Daley, who also works as a researcher at Sussex University, said the choice is “just completely at odds with the level of leadership that we need to see at the top of Fifa on environmental issues”. His criticism reflects a broader expectation that football’s biggest administrators should set a clearer example.
Denise Auclair, a sustainable travel expert at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, said private jets have a “completely disproportionate impact”. She said they are five to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes and 50 times more than trains.
| Travel Type | Pollution Comparison | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Private Jets | 5 to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes | Highlighted by a sustainable travel expert |
| Private Jets | 50 times more polluting than trains | Used to underline the climate impact |
BBC Sport asked Fifa whether the Qatar Executive jet was used for World Cup trips and whether the organization offsets those emissions. No response was provided, leaving the criticism to focus on the gap between public sustainability language and the travel choices now under scrutiny.
