FIFA president Gianni Infantino embroiled in another World Cup controversy

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is once again involved in a sizable World Cup storm after being heavily criticised for the air miles he has clocked up at the tournament so far.

The 56-year-old, who has been the head of FIFA since 2016, has been widely slammed for several key decisions he has made in the build-up to the World Cup, including awarding Donald Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, and he continues to dominate the headlines.

The 2026 tournament is the first time in World Cup history that three nations have acted as co-hosts, yet Infantino has been pictured in the stands at a large proportion of matches - thanks to his private jet.

The FIFA president attended all 64 games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but that was a far easier task given the small proximity of the tournament, with the longest journey between stadiums just 64 miles.

It’s a different story entirely this time around, however Infantino is still jetting around North America in order to attend as many fixtures as physically possible. This is only possible due to his private jet, and he has been heavily criticised for disregarding the impact his travel will have on the growing concern of climate change.

Gianni Infantino slammed for ignoring climate change

FIFA have been criticised for a number of issues at the 2026 World Cup, including insane ticket prices and the decision to use head-to-head record as a tie-breaker, and earlier this week, Greenly, a French company specializing in carbon footprint assessments took aim at Infantino’s use of his private jet.

“Just one hour in this plane emits roughly what an average human being emits in an entire year,” they said.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace USA Programs Director John Hocevar posted on Instagram: “Extreme heat is already an issue at this World Cup for players and fans alike. Having executives take daily flights on highly polluting private jets doesn’t exactly send the message that FIFA recognizes either the cause or its responsibility to be part of the solution to climate change.”

Furthermore, The New Weather Institute has estimated that the 2026 World Cup will generate around 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, with air travel alone accounting for roughly 7.7m of that figure - which is more than four times the average of World Cups held between 2010 and 2022.