Africa-Press – Uganda. President Donald Trump has announced US embassies will give visa appointment priority to travellers with tickets to the 2026 World Cup.
The Fifa Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (Pass) will “allow World Cup ticket-holders with long wait times to opt with Fifa for a prioritised interview,” Trump said at the White House on Monday.
Ticket-holders for the tournament – set for next June and July in the US, Canada and Mexico – will not be automatically granted a tourist visa, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
But foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying, Rubio said.
“Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US,” Rubio said, also at the White House on Monday.
“We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.”
The 2026 men’s World Cup will be co-hosted across North America, with Mexico and Canada, with most matches played in the United States.
Speaking in the Oval Office with Trump and Rubio, Fifa President Gianni Infantino said up to 10 million visitors could come to the US to watch World Cup matches.
“With this Fifa Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, that are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, they can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa,” he said.
Some countries whose national teams have already qualified for next year’s tournament currently have long wait times for visa appointments.
In Colombia, travellers applying for US visas are currently waiting around 11 months for an interview appointment, according to data published by the US State Department, the agency which processes visa applications.
The average wait time in Mexico City is nine and half months, while non-Canadian citizen residents of Toronto can expect a wait of 14 months for appointments.
If those wait times hold, the World Cup will have already been played and the golden trophy already awarded by the time fans from some countries have their visas approved or denied.
Monday’s announcement was lauded by US Travel Association, a tourism industry trade group. “The expedited process for Fifa ticket-holders adds needed efficiency without sacrificing security,” its CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement.
“This is the kind of practical action that strengthens security, increases capacity and cuts wait times, putting the U.S. on stronger footing to welcome millions of visitors next year.”
It is unclear if the new appointment rules will cover ticket-holders from countries whose citizens are mostly or entirely banned from travelling to the US. In June, Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the US, citing an effort to manage security threats
Iran, whose football team has qualified for the World Cup, is among the countries affected by the ban. The June executive order exempts athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and 2028 Olympics, though its fans could still face a ban.
The BBC has contacted the US State Department for comment.
Not all travellers coming to the US next year will need a visa. Most citizens of countries under the US waiver programme can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days. That scheme covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others.
At the two most recent World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, a ticket to a game generated a fan ID that could be used like a visa to enter the host country.
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