A plane used by the Portugal national team to travel to a World Cup match is the same aircraft that President Donald Trump's administration regularly uses to deport immigrants.
The released footage shows the Portuguese team traveling to Dallas on July 4 on a Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) plane, with the tail number N837VA clearly visible.
Verification of flight data shows that the same Airbus carried out missions related to the deportation of migrants just one day before and one day after the transport of the Portuguese team.
This aircraft was also among the aircraft used in March 2025 to deport more than 200 Venezuelans to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador. The deportations were carried out without due process and, although a judge ordered the planes to be returned, the flights continued and landed in El Salvador.
In a video released by El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, the same aircraft with tail number N837VA is visible.
In an emailed response, Ricardo Quaresma of the Portuguese Football Federation said the July 4 flight was organized by FIFA. According to him, the Portuguese national team used various airlines during the tournament, including American Airlines and TAP Air Portugal.
Portugal is not the only team to have flown with GlobalX during the World Cup. According to a report by The Guardian, the French national team also used the airline for at least three flights, including a trip to Dallas on July 12 for their semi-final match against Spain.
