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The French national team used the services of charter airline Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) during the World Cup, which is at the center of controversy over its involvement in the mass deportation program of US President Donald Trump's administration, according to an investigation published by "The Guardian".
According to flight tracking data and footage posted on social media, the French team took at least three domestic flights with GlobalX during their travels between World Cup matches and their training center in Boston.
The investigation highlights that the same company operated more than half of the flights organized by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport immigrants during 2024 and 2025.
According to a previous investigation by The Guardian, GlobalX planes have been used to transport thousands of detained immigrants, both within the US and to other countries. The report cites cases where deportees were not informed of their flight destination, while others have stated that they were transported with their hands and feet shackled. Some of these flights have also been to the high-security Cecot prison in El Salvador.
Data from the ICE Flight Monitor organization shows that the plane on which the French national team traveled after the match against Paraguay has carried out 44 deportation-related flights this year alone, and since 2022 it has participated in around 950 such missions.
According to the investigation, the same plane had been used just a few days before the French team's flight to transfer detained immigrants from a detention center in Arizona to Louisiana.
" It is common for such airlines to alternate flights for ICE with private charter flights for other clients, including sports teams, within the same week or even the same day ," said Sierra Randolph, data manager at ICE Flight Monitor.
The investigation began after the French national team's official Instagram account posted a video showing players, including Bayern Munich striker Michael Oliseh, boarding a plane after a 1-0 win over Paraguay. The GlobalX logo was visible in the footage, while analysis of data on the Flightradar24 platform confirmed the identity of the plane.
The issue has also drawn attention due to the public stances of several French footballers, most notably captain Kylian Mbappe, who has spoken out against far-right forces in France for years. Other national team players, such as Ousmane Dembele, Jules Kounde and Marcus Thuram, have also previously taken similar stances.
According to British media reports, France is not the only team to have used GlobalX's services during the 2026 World Cup. The England and Iran national teams are also reported to have traveled on this charter company's planes.
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