FRANKFURT- The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Three European nations, Germany (Group E), Switzerland (Group B), and Austria (Group J), will travel to North America aboard their respective national carriers.
Germany boards a Lufthansa (LH) flight from Frankfurt (FRA) to Chicago (ORD) on June 2, Switzerland flies Swiss (LX) from Zurich (ZRH) to Los Angeles (LAX) on the same day, and Austria departs on June 4 with Austrian Airlines (OS) from Vienna (VIE) to Los Angeles (LAX). FIFA will manage all internal flights once the tournament begins.
European FIFA Team will fly on National Airlines
Each football association has confirmed its travel partner and aircraft for the transatlantic journey. The German Football Association (DFB) told aeroTELEGRAPH that the squad will travel from Frankfurt to Chicago on June 2 aboard a scheduled Lufthansa service, which serves as the official airline of the DFB team.
Lufthansa currently operates the route with a Boeing 747-8 on the midday flight LH430 and an Airbus A340-300 on the evening flight LH432. For the national team’s departure, however, a Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed that an Airbus A350-900 will be deployed.
The Swiss squad’s journey also begins on June 2. A Swiss spokesperson confirmed that flight LX40 from Zurich to Los Angeles will operate with a Boeing 777. From Los Angeles, the team continues by road to its base camp.
According to the Swiss Football Association, the delegation will board a bus from Los Angeles to San Diego, where the team will prepare for the group stage.
The Austrian national team departs two days later, on June 4. The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) confirmed on its website that the delegation will travel to Los Angeles aboard a scheduled flight operated by partner Austrian Airlines, before continuing north by bus to Santa Barbara.
Austrian Airlines operates the Vienna to Los Angeles route as flight OS51 with a Boeing 777, and a spokesperson confirmed that a Boeing 777 will also operate the June 4 service.
Aircraft Choices for the Transatlantic Crossing
The three carriers will deploy their flagship wide-body aircraft for the squads. Lufthansa is upgrading its Frankfurt to Chicago service to an Airbus A350-900 for the German team.
Swiss is sending the German-speaking Swiss squad on a Boeing 777, the same aircraft type that Austrian Airlines will use for its Vienna to Los Angeles service.
Both Swiss and Austrian belong to the Lufthansa Group, while all three airlines are members of the Star Alliance.
FIFA Takes Over In-Tournament Travel
Once the tournament starts, the responsibility for booking flights shifts away from the football associations.
The Swiss Football Association spokesperson explained that FIFA books the flights during the tournament, meaning the world football governing body selects the airlines used between match venues.
The German Football Association confirmed the same arrangement, stating that FIFA, as the organizer, is responsible for flights during the tournament.
With matches spread across three countries and venues thousands of kilometres apart, FIFA’s logistics operation will play a central role in moving 48 squads between cities.
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