French FA names La Compagnie official airline until July 2026

The French Football Federation has appointed boutique carrier La Compagnie as the Official Airline of the France national football team until the end of July, giving the airline rights across the men’s programme during a period of heavy transatlantic travel.The partnership is scheduled to launch with France’s March trip to the United States for two international friendlies, against Brazil in Boston on March 26 and Colombia in Washington, D.C. on March 29.La Compagnie will also operate the team’s dedicated transatlantic flights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada in June and July.Christian Vernet, chief executive of La Compagnie, said: “It is a tremendous honor for La Compagnie to be entrusted with transporting our national team. As a French airline, we take great pride in delivering an elevated, all-business-class experience designed to provide the comfort, discretion, and peace of mind elite athletes require as they prepare to compete at the highest level.”Philippe Diallo, president of the FFF, said the agreement would help France travel “under optimal conditions” ahead of major competitions, adding that the parties shared values including “performance, high standards, and team spirit”.Founded in 2014, La Compagnie operates an all-business-class model on transatlantic routes, with services linking Paris-Orly and New York alongside additional flights from Nice and Milan to Newark Liberty International Airport.The airline is positioning the partnership around premium service and operational performance, and highlighted its Airbus A321neo fleet as part of the pitch to elite sport, citing lower noise and improved fuel efficiency versus previous-generation aircraft.For the FFF, the deal underlines how federations are packaging national-team travel, preparation and behind-the-scenes content as sponsorable assets, particularly in the final run-in to a World Cup cycle where match schedules are concentrated in North America and partner categories can be activated year-round.