Turkey's Euro 2024 team has come under fire from environmentalist groups for taking a charter flight and not other means of transport for the 150 kilometre journey from their Hanover base to the final group match in Hamburg on Wednesday.
"This is completely nonsensical and unnecessary," said Werner Reh from Germany's Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND).
Reh said that carbon emission was 10-20 times higher than if they had taken the train for the game against the Czech Republic.
René Schwartz, spokesman of a regional initiative calling for a reduction of air traffic pollution, labelled the flight "absolutely unacceptable."
He added: "The nations must also be held more accountable during the tournament."
The tournament in Germany has been declared the most sustainable Euros ever by the ruling body UEFA.
Many fans and several teams are travelling by train but operator Deutsche Bahn has been criticized for delays, cancellations and overcrowded platforms during the tournament.
Deutsche Bahn on Wednesday acknowledged shortcomings in service in the wake of extensive reports from foreign media that caused a stir and acute embarrassment for a country that once prided itself on precision, punctuality and high-quality infrastructure.