FIFA President Infantino’s private‑jet travel emits 516 tonnes CO₂ at 2026 World Cup

Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, flew on a Gulfstream G650ER private jet to attend 24 matches of the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. BBC analysis traced 27 flights covering at least 50,122 km in just over two weeks, producing roughly 516 tonnes of carbon‑dioxide – an amount comparable to the annual emissions of 78 average EU residents.

The jet’s longest leg was a 4,507 km run from Vancouver to Miami; the shortest was 148 km between Philadelphia and Newark. Environmental groups such as the Cool Down Network condemned the travel as starkly contradictory to FIFA’s pledge to cut emissions 50 % by 2030 and achieve net‑zero by 2040, labeling the president’s actions a “symptom of FIFA’s ecological failings.” FIFA responded that the travel was official and the most efficient option available.

The scrutiny comes as the tournament itself faces accusations of being the most carbon‑intensive in history, with the logistics of staging matches in three North‑American countries posing a far greater environmental challenge than the 2022 Qatar edition.