Infantino Spotted at Two World Cup Matches Simultaneously, Sparking Teleportation Jokes Online

FIFA President Gianni Infantino became the subject of online jokes after he was spotted in the stands at two simultaneous World Cup matches on June 25. In the final round of Group E, Ecuador defeated Germany in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while Ivory Coast beat Curaçao in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both matches kicked off at the same time, yet television broadcasts showed Infantino in the crowd at both venues.

Social media users quickly reacted with humor and conspiracy theories, questioning whether Infantino was real, had a clone, a twin brother, or was an alien. Some pointed out that the 150-kilometer distance between the stadiums could be covered by plane or helicopter, making it possible to attend both games. Others suggested that one of the clips might have been from an earlier match.

Russian sports outlet Sports.ru noted that the footage showing Infantino alongside Spanish football legends Fernando Hierro and Michel Salgado, as well as Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Luzan, was actually taken from the Spain vs. Saudi Arabia match. Hierro recently served as a sports director in Saudi Arabia, explaining his presence at that game.

Infantino had previously promised to attend multiple World Cup matches in a single day using a private jet provided by Qatar Airways during the tournament. The World Cup is being held across three countries and four time zones, with the farthest stadiums being up to 4,500 kilometers apart.