Infantino flies to Qatar to mourn former Emir on eve of World Cup semi-finals

Gianni Infantino departed the 2026 World Cup on Sunday and flew to Doha to pay his respects to the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar’s former Emir, who died that morning at the age of 74. A private jet linked to the FIFA president left Miami — where Infantino had watched England’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Norway — and arrived in the Qatari capital the following day. Infantino has been seen among the mourners attending the funeral, and is expected to return to the United States within 24 hours, ahead of the semi-finals.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was the father of the current Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Qatar’s Amiri Diwan announced four days of national mourning from Sunday, with funeral prayers held at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha. The former Emir will be laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery.

Infantino has long maintained a close relationship with Qatar and the Al Thani family. The Gulf nation hosted the 2022 World Cup — the first held in the Middle East — an event that drew widespread controversy over the treatment of migrant workers involved in building the tournament’s stadiums and infrastructure.

The FIFA president’s departure comes at a sensitive moment in the tournament, with the semi-finals set to begin the day after he left. His travel habits during the 2026 World Cup have already attracted scrutiny: Norwegian investigative magazine Josimar reported that Infantino flew approximately 50,000 kilometres during the group stages aboard a private jet provided by Qatar.

This is not the first time Infantino has left a major FIFA tournament mid-competition. During the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, he made several cross-Pacific trips by private jet, drawing significant public criticism. His response at the time, posted on social media, was: “Chill, relax, live and let live.”