Infantino's private jet use draws fire ahead of 2026 World Cup

Gianni Infantino's private jet travel for the 2026 World Cup is drawing fresh criticism from environmental groups. The FIFA president has logged thousands of miles across North America on corporate aircraft, a travel pattern that generates significant carbon emissions, critics said.

Environmental advocates pointed to the contrast between FIFA's stated sustainability goals and the president's travel habits. The organization has promoted a carbon-neutral World Cup but has not disclosed Infantino's flight emissions, according to the groups that raised the issue.

No specific figures on the number of flights or total emissions have been released. FIFA did not respond to questions about the travel costs or carbon offsets tied to the trips. The criticism comes as host cities ramp up infrastructure spending for the 2026 tournament, which will span the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino's travel is not new. He has faced similar scrutiny during previous World Cup cycles. The scale of the 2026 event, with matches across three countries and 16 cities, means more long-distance flights than any prior edition. Critics said the president could use commercial flights or video calls for many of the site visits.

FIFA has not commented on the specific claims. The environmental groups said they plan to track the president's travel through flight-tracking data and publish a report before the tournament begins.