Travelers with tickets to the 2026 World Cup will be given priority visa appointment at US embassies, according to President Donald Trump.
Trump stated at the White House on Monday that the Fifa Prioritized Appointment Scheduling System (Pass) will “allow World Cup ticket holders with long wait times to opt with Fifa for a prioritized interview.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no automatic tourist visa will be issued to those who register for the tournament, which is scheduled for June and July in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Rubio said, also on Monday at the White House, “Your ticket is not a visa, it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US.”
“We’re going to conduct the same kind of vetting as everyone else.” The only difference is that they are being moved higher in the queue.
Mexico and Canada will host the 2026 men’s World Cup on a co-hosted basis in North America, with the majority of matches taking place in the United States.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, stated in a statement in the Oval Office that up to 10 million people could visit the US to watch World Cup matches.
With this Fifa Pass, we can ensure that those who purchase a ticket, whether they are soccer fans or legitimate football fans, can attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting with the application for their visa, he said.
Some nations’ national teams have lengthy waits for visa appointments while others have already qualified for the next year’s competition.
According to information released by the US State Department, the agency that reviews visa applications, people in Colombia are currently waiting around 11 months for an interview appointment.
While non-Canadian citizens living in Toronto can expect a 14-month wait for appointments, the average wait time in Mexico City is nine and a half months.
By the time fans from some nations have their visas approved, the World Cup will already be played and the golden trophy will already be awarded.
Not everyone who travels to the US in the upcoming year will require a visa. The majority of citizens in nations covered by the US waiver program are typically able to travel without a visa for up to 90 days. That approach, along with Japan, Australia, and other countries, covers a large portion of Europe, including the UK.
Source: BBC
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