The World Cup and U.S. visas defined: Entry guidelines, journey bans and FIFA’s place

While a star-studded opening ceremony on the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City is the right technique to begin a World Cup throughout North America, a lot of the build-up to the match has been dominated by visa entry guidelines to the United States.

There have been a sequence of incidents, together with journalists and even a FIFA-backed referee from Somalia, being denied entry. Iran’s nationwide group and “necessary support staff” have been issued visas, although Iran’s soccer federation (FFIRI) mentioned not all of its supposed touring get together had been granted visas to journey to the U.S. from Mexico.

Travel restrictions into the U.S. (which is able to host the overwhelming majority of the World Cup’s 104 matches, alongside Mexico and Canada) have been a priority for some World Cup vacationers, compounded by lengthy wait instances for visa appointments for guests of sure international locations.

The FIFA Pass was launched as an expedited method for followers with tickets to safe visa appointments, however these candidates are nonetheless topic to the identical stringent vetting, questioning and safety clearances required of all folks in search of to enter the nation.

So, what precisely are visa guidelines?

Somali referee Omar Artan’s entry to the U.S. was denied. (Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP through Getty Images)

What are the principles round entry into the U.S. in the course of the World Cup?

All guests coming into the United States are required to own sure journey paperwork, which range relying on the place the customer is from. Passports have to be legitimate for six months past the interval of their supposed keep, until they’re a citizen of an exempt nation.

Passport holders from Canada or Bermuda don’t require extra authorization and any foreigners from one of many 42 international locations that take part within the “Visa Exempt Waiver Program” can apply for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). People from all different international locations are required to have a sound customer visa to journey to the U.S. for the World Cup.

This is the place FIFA Pass is available in. The system creates an expedited pathway for followers with tickets to World Cup matches to safe their visa appointments. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has acknowledged: “A ticket is not a visa and it doesn’t guarantee admission to the U.S.,” however mentioned those that apply with a ticket might get an interview inside “six to eight weeks.” More on the FIFA Pass under.

Has there been any loosening of the principles for the match?

No. Unless you take into account the FIFA Pass a “loosening of the rules,” however technically, it isn’t: While candidates could have entry to expedited interviews, they are going to nonetheless be topic to the identical vetting, questioning and safety clearances as others in search of to enter the nation.

Although the U.S. authorities has mentioned all guests are welcome, they need to abide by the identical strict insurance policies as anybody visiting the States. In May 2025, Vice President JD Vance said all World Cup visitors must go home after the match. “We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they’ll have to go home.”

What is the $15,000 visa bond — do visiting followers should pay it?

As The Athletic reported in March, followers from a number of international locations collaborating in the summertime’s World Cup are required to deposit as much as $15,000 in bond funds to be granted a vacationer visa to enter the United States, with FIFA privately urgent the Trump administration to exempt gamers. Last month, the U.S. State Department introduced a coverage change that waived visa bond necessities for some individuals and ticket holders.

The “Visa Bond Pilot Program” launched by the Trump administration requires nationals from 50 international locations to put up a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 to be granted a vacationer visa to enter the nation. These funds have been per particular person, fairly than per touring get together, which implies a mum or dad touring with two kids, for instance, should make three separate bond funds. This threatened to affect a number of nations who’ve certified for the World Cup — Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Tunisia.

Did that coverage change assist followers? Officials have since clarified the bonds are being waived for certified followers who purchased World Cup tickets and opted in to FIFA Pass by April 15. That closing date is pertinent as a result of it seems to considerably restrict the variety of beneficiaries — earlier than April 15, many followers could have been deterred from shopping for tickets or signing up for the FIFA Pass system in the event that they have been below the impression they must pay as much as $15,000 in bonds.

What occurs in case you are denied a visa for the U.S.?

If you’re denied a visa, most often you’ll be notified of which part of the legislation applies to your denial, as outlined by the Department of State web site. Some denials will be overturned, however that takes time. In some circumstances, an individual could reapply for a brand new visa sooner or later, although that might require submitting a brand new visa utility.

Which groups have been affected by the visa controls?

There has been a string of high-profile visa-related incidents as groups began arriving within the United States for his or her coaching camps. The most seen case pertains to the Iran nationwide group, which just lately relocated its base camp from the U.S. to Mexico.

Iran’s soccer group and “necessary support” workers have been issued visas earlier than the World Cup, after dealing with months of uncertainty over journey and safety preparations for the match since struggle started on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel focused Iran with navy strikes. Some federation officers with alleged ties to the nation’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been denied entry to the World Cup attract Washington, D.C. in December. Visa points additionally prevented Iranian soccer executives from attending an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) congress assembly in Canada in April, the physique’s normal secretary mentioned on the time.

Iran’s soccer group is ready to play their video games within the U.S., however can be primarily based in Mexico. (Orhan Cicek / Anadolu through Getty Images)

What was the affect of the journey bans imposed?

Travel bans launched by the Trump administration affect nationals from 4 World Cup-qualified international locations who would possibly wish to attend the match within the U.S.

In December, the U.S. authorities imposed partial journey bans, citing “screening and vetting deficiencies,” affecting followers from Senegal and Ivory Coast. Iranian and Haitian nationals already confronted journey restrictions that the Trump administration launched in June 2025, saying the coverage was to “protect national security.”

While it has been harassed gamers could be allowed entry for the World Cup, no related exemptions exist for followers if the journey bans affect their potential arrivals to the U.S. There are sure exemptions unrelated to the World Cup that exist for sure international locations, like, in Iran’s case, exemptions for twin residents and people with a passport from a non-designated nation.

The December proclamation suspends entry into the U.S. for nationals of Ivory Coast and Senegal, each as immigrants and non-immigrants, together with within the customer class for enterprise and tourism — the latter of which might be required to attend the World Cup.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson beforehand advised The Athletic: “We are implementing the president’s directive to secure U.S. borders and protect American communities and citizens.”

Haiti and Iran’s three group-stage fixtures all happen within the U.S., whereas Senegal and Ivory Coast every have two video games within the U.S. and one in Toronto, Canada.

Is this only a U.S. difficulty, or does it additionally have an effect on Mexico and Canada?

This is basically an American difficulty, because the administration has overhauled the nation’s immigration system since President Trump entered his second time period. However, as talked about, executives from Iran couldn’t attend a gathering in Canada, indicating visa points usually are not unique to any host nation.

Were there points round visas at Qatar 2022?

The apparent variations between the 2022 World Cup and this summer time are the match’s geographical footprint and affordability.

There was additionally much less demand for the Qatar version in comparison with this summer time’s spectacle. In Qatar, you bought a Hayya card, which granted you entry, with a match ticket or accreditation.

That has by no means been the case for the 2026 version, particularly with the complexities of the match being hosted between three nations — which means three totally impartial visa processes.

The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar. (Catherine Ivill / Getty Images)

What has FIFA mentioned about visa points for this World Cup?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has frequently claimed that this summer time would be the most numerous version of the FIFA males’s World Cup. It actually would be the largest.

“It’s important to clarify this,” Infantino said last year. “There is a lot of misconception out there. Everyone will be welcome in Canada, Mexico and the United States for the World Cup. We are working exactly for that.”

That public stance has, roughly, remained the identical.

In his information convention on the eve of the World Cup, Infantino mentioned he had no regrets in regards to the U.S. co-hosting the World Cup, regardless of the visa points. Speaking about Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry, Infantino mentioned: “It is unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia. But again, we don’t control everything. We try, we’ll discuss, we’ll speak, we’ll see.”

He additionally acknowledged in the identical press convention that “you cannot organize an event of such magnitude in a perfect way.”