FIFA World Cup
Gianni Infantino is flying in a luxury suite and attending almost every World Cup match
The FIFA president has found a way to appear in multiple cities in a single day… Show More
The FIFA president has found a way to appear in multiple cities in a single day
What started as a joke about Gianni Infantino somehow teleporting between World Cup matches quickly turned into a wave of questions about how the FIFA president manages to attend at least two games per day in different cities.
There is no doubt Infantino has been one of the busiest figures during the tournament. He has been seen across multiple venues while handling FIFA business, and the curiosity surrounding his travel schedule has only grown. As it turns out, being the FIFA president comes with a few advantages.
The secret behind the travel schedule
The answer is simple, although not everyone agrees with it. The World Cup already carries a significant carbon footprint, and Infantino's daily private flights have drawn criticism due to the frequency of his travel throughout the tournament.
The FIFA president has access to a private jet provided by Qatar Airways as part of its sponsorship agreement with football's governing body. That arrangement has allowed him to move rapidly between venues across the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it possible to attend matches at a pace few others can match.
A flying office for the World Cup
Thanks to a Gulfstream G650ER operated by Qatar Airways Executive, Infantino can travel between tournament cities in just a matter of hours.
With a top speed close to 1,000 km/h, a range of up to 13,900 km and a cabin designed to function as both an office and a resting area, the aircraft has become a key part of his World Cup routine.
The setup also helps explain why Infantino has been able to show up at so many matches during the biggest World Cup ever staged. While the debate around private travel continues, the aircraft has allowed the FIFA president to stay closely connected to the tournament and its fans across three host nations. But the question remains, was it really that necessary?
