Infantino Targets Two Games a Day as World Cup Carbon Concerns Mount
Gianni Infantino is on a punishing self-imposed schedule at the 2026 World Cup, aiming to attend two matches per day wherever possible — criss-crossing the United States, Canada and Mexico by private jet, according to reporting by The Guardian.
The Fifa president has access to a jet through Qatar Airways, which provides the aircraft as a value-in-kind element of its sponsorship arrangement with world football’s governing body. Infantino used that access immediately after the opening match in Mexico City last Thursday, flying straight to Guadalajara to catch South Korea’s victory over Czechia on the same evening.
From there, the 56-year-old took in games in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver across the following two days before pausing on Sunday to host a Fifa summit in Miami — attended by representatives from all 211 member associations — before returning to LA to watch Iran face New Zealand.
Fifa sources have confirmed to The Guardian that Infantino will keep up this pace throughout the tournament. The contrast with the 2022 edition in Qatar is striking: Infantino attended all 64 games there, but that was straightforward given the longest distance between any two stadiums was just 46 miles. This time around, the 16 venues are spread across four time zones and up to 2,800 miles apart.
A Record Carbon Footprint
The sheer scale of travel involved has prompted serious environmental criticism. The New Weather Institute has described this World Cup as “the most polluting event ever”, estimating it will generate approximately 9 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over its duration. Air travel accounts for around 7.7 million tons of that figure — more than four times the average carbon output from World Cups held between 2010 and 2022.
Infantino’s own travel is extreme by any measure, but he is not alone in facing long journeys. Of all the competing squads, Bosnia and Herzegovina have the most gruelling group-stage itinerary, covering 3,144 miles between Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle while returning to their training base in Salt Lake City between fixtures.
For UK fans keeping tabs on results and betting angles, you can follow along at our World Cup 2026 hub and check the latest scores and standings on our live standings page.
With the tournament still in the early stages, the logistical and environmental questions surrounding the expanded 48-team format are already shaping the narrative well beyond the pitches themselves.