Infantino’s Family Received Miami Airport VIP Escorts

On November 5, records of Miami International Airport’s VIP protocol service raised questions about escorts arranged for FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s family. The logs contain 95 entries involving family members since January 2024, with multiple people sometimes listed in one entry. Infantino himself does not appear in 63 of them.

His wife, Leena, appears 46 times, while Infantino is listed 24 times. His daughters also appear in the records, including 11 entries in which neither parent is listed. The airport’s protocol service can help guests through check-in and immigration procedures and, in some cases, escort them to the aircraft. Airport officials say it does not bypass security or customs screening.

Internal correspondence showed FIFA’s office requested assistance for three daughters and their dogs on a trip from Miami to Doha. Miami airport spokesman Greg Chin said the requests were approved because staff were available. He said requests are reviewed individually and that escorts are provided without charge.

FIFA said requests were made following guidance from a former Infantino adviser and that his family could seek the service under the airport’s rules. Two sports-governance specialists said family members’ use of the service could raise concerns under FIFA’s prohibition on officials using their position for private benefit, particularly if Infantino arranged it for them.

The airport’s rules include NGO leaders among eligible guests but do not specifically mention their relatives or pets. Chin said requests outside the listed categories can be considered individually. The specialists questioned whether FIFA’s ethics system would investigate the matter, citing concerns about the committee’s independence.