The use of a charter airline involved in the US government's deportation programme has cast a shadow over France's World Cup ambitions as its men's national football team continues to participate in the tournament. Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) has reportedly flown the team for at least three domestic journeys between their matches and base camp in Boston, sparking criticism that echoes the contradictions of several high-profile players' public stances.
Several French players, including captain Kylian Mbappé, have been vocal critics of far-right political parties and anti-immigration policies. Mbappé, whose parents have Cameroonian and Algerian heritage, has previously described the rise of France's far-right National Rally party as 'catastrophic', urging young people to prevent the country 'falling into the hands of these people'. Other teammates, such as Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, Jules Koundé, and Marcus Thuram, have echoed similar sentiments.
GlobalX's involvement in the US deportation programme has been extensively documented. Investigations, including one by The Guardian in 2025, have highlighted the airline's significant role in mass deportation efforts under the Trump administration. In 2024 and 2025, GlobalX operated more than half of all ICE removal flights, with data provided by ICE Flight Monitor indicating that one specific aircraft used by the French team on July 4th had been involved in transferring detained immigrants from an Arizona detention centre to Louisiana as recently as July 1st. This particular plane has reportedly flown 44 deportation-related flights this year alone and approximately 950 since 2022.
Human rights organisations have raised significant concerns about the nature of these deportation flights, citing reports of detainees being kept unaware of their destination and shackled, with potential violations of constitutional due process rights. GlobalX has allegedly transported thousands of detainees, both domestically and internationally, often to locations far from their families, communities, and legal counsel, including to El Salvador's notorious Cecot mega-prison.
Neither GlobalX nor representatives for the French national team have responded to requests for comment regarding these findings. The situation underscores the complex ethical considerations that can arise when commercial entities operate across various sectors, particularly when their activities intersect with sensitive human rights issues.