Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, attended 44 matches during the 2026 World Cup, which was held across 16 cities in three countries. His near-constant presence on television was aided by a mandatory "dignitary shot" in every half, part of an agreement with the Host Broadcast Service, which is 49 per cent owned by FIFA.
The 56-year-old visited every host city, networking with figures such as US President Donald Trump and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. His efforts helped secure formal endorsement from more than 200 members for re-election as president, according to the Guardian.
Private jet emissions
Flight data shows that Infantino covered 106,323 km (66,066 miles) during the tournament in a Qatar Airways-sponsored Gulfstream G650 private jet, burning 1,020.3 tonnes of CO₂e. This is almost three times the Earth's circumference.
The expanded tournament, with 48 teams across three countries, was already the most polluting World Cup in history, with predicted emissions of nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), nearly double the historical average from 2010 to 2022. Most emissions come from air travel.
FIFA has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2040, while Infantino promised to leave a "positive footprint" on North America.
Criticism from campaigners
Frank Huisingh, founder of Fossil Free Football, said: "As players and supporters struggled through extreme heat, Infantino’s Qatari private jet took him from VIP box to VIP box across his bloated tournament. There could be no more perfect illustration for FIFA’s wilful blindness to the climate threats facing football and its fans."
Katie Cross, chief executive of Pledgeball, said: "The incredible emissions generated by Infantino’s private jet usage, against a backdrop of heat waves, wild fires and fans priced out of the World Cup, smack of a complete disregard for the longevity of the game, the players and the fans who make it."
Andrew Simms, director of New Weather Institute, said Infantino's jet left behind "a cloud of contempt". Freddie Daley, of the Cool Down Sport for Climate Action Network, noted that "it is further evidence that he and FIFA cannot be trusted to protect the game from a worsening climate crisis."
Jenny Amann, a doctoral researcher at Loughborough University, has been interviewing fans about climate change and football. She said: "I cannot recall a single interview in which Infantino’s actions and decision-making were not criticised. Fans consistently describe his approach as absurd and hypocritical."
FIFA's defence
A FIFA spokesperson said: "As we have consistently stated, FIFA has put in place rules which establish the framework for flights and travel by any FIFA official. The FIFA president routinely travels, together with relevant officials, on business and tournament-related matters and strives to visit member associations of FIFA whenever he can. 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 pays travel costs."
