The Trump administration on Monday announced a new fast-track visa system for the huge number of fans expected to travel to the US for the 2026 World Cup. The system ensures, people who already have World Cup match tickets will be moved to the front of the line for visa interview appointments. But the government also made it very clear that having match tickets does not mean you will be allowed into the country.
US announces Fast-track appointments with FIFA pass
The White House FIFA task force announced on Monday that fans attending the 2026 World Cup will get priority visa appointments. The tournament is expected to attract 5 to 10 million visitors from around the world.
Fans who buy tickets through the “FIFA Pass” system will be able to schedule faster appointments with the State Department. This system lets international ticket holders move ahead of regular visa applicants.
To make this process hassle-free, FIFA, the global organisation that runs the World Cup, will manage this ticketing and prioritisation system. “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within our power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success. I think it’s going to be the greatest, and we are already setting records on ticket sales,” Trump said during a meeting of the White House task force on FIFA.
Fast visa appointments — But no entry guarantee
Speaking of this temporary process, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Our advice to everybody is: if you have a ticket for any of the games, you need to apply as soon as possible. If you haven’t done so as soon as possible, don’t wait until the last minute.” However, he added, “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. It guarantees you an expedited appointment.” He explained that the only benefit fans get is a faster appointment slot, but the background checks and security steps will stay exactly the same.
This means that some non-US fans who already bought their tickets, about a million so far, could still be denied entry even after getting a quicker visa interview.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said they expect to eventually sell 6 to 7 million tickets. Speaking at the Oval Office, he said the US could see five to ten million visitors coming from all over the world for the tournament. “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 and then coming, of course, in the country to enjoy,” Infantino said in the Oval Office.
Right now, most ticket buyers are from the host countries, the US, Mexico and Canada, but FIFA says people from 212 different countries and territories have already purchased tickets.
Big push to cut visa backlogs
To deal with the huge rush of visa applications, Rubio said the State Department has sent more than 400 extra consular officers to embassies around the world. In some places, this has even doubled the existing staff. Because of this, visa waiting times, which were as long as a year in some countries, have now dropped to 60 days or less in around 80% of countries.
Rubio gave the example of Brazil and Argentina, where fans earlier had to wait more than a year for an interview. Now, he said, they can get an appointment in under two months.
Trump warns host cities about ‘trouble’
Separately, Trump also made headlines by warning that World Cup matches could be moved away from host cities he thinks are “problematic.” Calling out Seattle, which is scheduled to host six matches and criticising its new mayor, he said, “If we think there’s going to be the sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni to move that to a different city,” Trump said. He added that many other cities would “love to have” the matches.
Trump also mentioned Los Angeles, another host city, saying he was worried about crime there. He said he would send the National Guard if needed, and urged California officials to request federal help right away.
“If there’s even a hint of a problem, we want to get in there before anything happens,” he said, adding that the goal is to make the event completely safe for FIFA officials and the fans.
