2026 World Cup: Visa backlog could keep teams and fans locked out of US
US officials have raised concerns that visa backlogs may prevent overseas football fans and even teams from attending the men’s 2026 World Cup.
Wait times for interviews for business and tourism visas exceed 330 days at 18 US embassies and consulates, the LA Times reported.
With tickets for the World Cup not expected to go on sale until late 2025, many non-American fans will have just six months to secure permission to visit the States.
“It’s going to be a massive problem,” said David J Bier, the associate director for immigration studies at public policy think tank the Cato Institute. “There’s no one paying attention to this at all.”
Politicians are calling for the Trump administration to prioritise clearing the visa waiting list in order to ensure the 2026 World Cup lives up to Fifa’s promise that it will be “the most inclusive ever”.
“I am deeply concerned that there does not seem to be an appetite for making sure that the State Department is funded and prepared and focused on this issue,” said congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove.
“It is untenable that we would not surge resources to make sure that we have the right folks in the right places.
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