The French men’s national soccer team—whose star player Kylian Mbappé is one of the world’s most vocal athletes against far-right politicians—has been using a charter airline that plays a key role in the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts.
Photos posted on social media and flight tracking data show that the French team used Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) for at least three domestic flights between their World Cup matches and their base camp in Boston. The same charter company has operated more than half of ICE’s removal flights in 2024 and 2025.
A 2025 Guardian investigation into the Trump administration’s deportation program, which closely examined five months of leaked GlobalX data, revealed how the company became the main way to move thousands of detainees—both within the U.S. and internationally—without notice, to places far from their families, communities, and lawyers. Experts say this has led to violations of constitutional due process rights. Among other destinations, the company has flown detainees to El Salvador’s Cecot, a notorious mega-prison. Many on board have said they were kept in the dark about where the plane was going or were shackled at their hands and feet.
GlobalX has not responded to requests for comment. Representatives for the French national team also did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The plane the French team took after their match against Paraguay has flown 44 deportation-related flights this year alone, and about 950 flights since 2022. According to data provided to the Guardian by ICE Flight Monitor, the aircraft that carried the French players on July 4 was used to transfer detained immigrants from an Arizona detention center to Louisiana as recently as July 1. ICE Flight Monitor uses publicly available aviation data to track, document, and publish monthly reports on ICE flights, and is based at Human Rights First.
“It’s common for certain carriers to switch between operating ICE flights and other private charter flights—including for sports teams—within a week or even on the same day,” said Sierra Randolph, a data manager for ICE Flight Monitor.
The Guardian began looking into this after a video posted on the team’s official Instagram showed players like Michael Olise, the London-born Bayern Munich forward, walking to their seats on a flight from Philadelphia to Boston after France’s 1-0 win over Paraguay. As Olise passes a flight attendant, a sticker with the GlobalX logo can be seen on an overhead compartment.
The Guardian analyzed aircraft data on the flight tracking website Flightradar24, which showed an Airbus departing Philadelphia International Airport around midnight Eastern time on July 5 and arriving at Boston Logan International Airport around 1 a.m. Researchers at ICE Flight Monitor matched the flight to an aircraft they regularly track for immigration enforcement flights.
The French team has plenty of players who have shared their political views, and none more loudly than Mbappé. The captain—whose father is from Cameroon and whose mother is of Algerian descent—is one of the greatest players the country has ever produced. He has repeatedly and strongly spoken out against far-right politicians in France and supported teammates who have done the same. In 2024, he called the gains made by the country’s far-right, anti-immigration National Rally party “catastrophic,” urging young people in France to keep the country from “falling into the hands of these people.”
Several of Mbappé’s teammates have echoed his views. Midfielder Ousmane Dembélé and defender Jules Koundé have also worked to get French citizens to vote, as has forward Marcus Thuram. Thuram’s father, World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, has a long history of activism. Even Zinedine Zidane, widely seen as aOne of the greatest players in football history has voiced his opposition to far-right politics, strongly criticizing National Rally presidential candidate Marine Le Pen in 2017.
Mbappé made headlines this week after hitting back at a Paraguayan senator, calling her a “despicable woman” following a racist attack she made against him.
Members of the National Rally have responded mockingly to criticism from French national team players, adopting a “shut up and dribble” attitude that has become common across professional sports. Like many other national teams, the French squad is multicultural and is widely seen as a reflection of the country’s diverse population.
France isn’t the only country whose national team has flown GlobalX aircraft between World Cup matches this summer. The Daily Mail reported last month that England’s squad also had a contract with GlobalX, and that Iran had used the charter airline as well. A spokesperson for the English Football Association, which booked the England team’s flight, declined to comment to the Daily Mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the claim that the French national team uses ICE deportation planes for World Cup travel
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q Wait is it true that the French football team flies on ICE planes
A No this is not true Its a viral internet hoax or a satirical joke There is no evidence that the French national team uses US deportation aircraft
Q Where did this rumor come from
A It likely started as a satirical post on social media or a fake news website People often share it as a joke but it sometimes gets mistaken for real news
Q What kind of plane does the French team actually use
A The French Football Federation usually charters commercial or private aircraft like an Airbus A330 or a Boeing 777 often from airlines like Air France They do not use military or government deportation planes
Q Why would anyone even think this was real
A The idea is so absurd that it sounds like a funny gotcha moment The joke plays on the idea of a prestigious team being forced to use a harsh uncomfortable plane which is the opposite of their usual luxury travel
AdvancedLevel Questions
Q Is there any connection between the French government and ICE deportation flights
A No ICE is a US federal law enforcement agency The French government has its own immigration enforcement but they do not share aircraft with the national sports teams
Q Could a national team theoretically be forced to use a government deportation plane
A In theory if a countrys military or border patrol had a VIPconfigured aircraft it could be used for official travel However a deportation plane is typically a strippeddown uncomfortable cargo aircraft used for detainees No worldclass football team would voluntarily use one and no government would waste that resource
Q What is the actual purpose of an ICE deportation plane
