US opens priority visa appointment system for World Cup

World Cup 2026 ticket holders can now access priority visa appointments for travel to the United States - but doubt remains whether fans from every country to have qualified will be able to enter.

The Fifa Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System - or Fifa Pass - announced by US President Donald Trump in November, went live on Tuesday.

It was introduced in part because citizens of some countries whose teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup may not otherwise receive visa appointments in time for the tournament.

But the US State Department has stressed that a Fifa Pass appointment does not guarantee a visa will be approved, with all ticket holders having to “undergo thorough security screening and vetting”.

Most citizens of countries under the US visa waiver programme, which covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others, can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days, so do not need to use the Fifa Pass. Travellers from those countries would need to apply instead for an Esta - an Electronic System for Travel Authorization.

A senior State Department official said the new Fifa Pass system will cut wait times - with applicants in “over 80%” of countries now able to schedule a visa appointment in “less that 60 days”.

It added: “At the visa appointment, the applicant must show they qualify for the visa and plan to follow our laws and leave at the end of the tournament. America’s safety and the security of our borders will always come first.”

What about countries affected by immigrant visa suspension?
Football fans in countries affected by the US suspending the processing of immigrant visas will still be able to apply to travel to the country for this year’s World Cup.

The US said last Wednesday it will pause processing immigrant visas from 75 countries,, external 15 of which have qualified for the World Cup, including five-time winners Brazil.

A further seven nations on the list are still in contention to qualify for this year’s tournament, which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.

The State Department confirmed on Tuesday the pause “applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only” and “does not apply to non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, athletes and their families, and media professionals”.

Qualified nations on the list of 75 countries: Algeria, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan

Nations still in qualification contention on the list: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, Kosovo, North Macedonia

What about countries on travel ban list?
The order to indefinitely pause the processing of immigrant visa applications from those 75 countries will take effect on Wednesday, 21 January.

Prior to this move, Trump expanded a travel ban that came into force on 1 January, which bars nationals of countries on that list from entering the US.

Haiti and Iran, who have both qualified for the 2026 World Cup, are on the list of countries with full restrictions.

Ivory Coast and Senegal, who have also qualified, are on the list of countries with partial restrictions.

The State Department said a Fifa Pass appointment does not allow people “who are otherwise not eligible” to be issued a visa, meaning fans from those four countries appear unlikely to be able to travel to the US for this summer’s tournament.

Guidance from the State Department specified there are exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives” to the travel ban for the World Cup.

However, it added “the exception does not apply to fans or spectators”. They can still submit visa applications but “they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States”.

The US will host 78 of the 104 total matches at the World Cup, across 11 cities, including the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Source: BBC

- Agencies