President Donald Trump announced a new system to give people who have bought tickets to the 2026 World Cup priority when booking visa interview appointments at US embassies and consulates.
The plan, described as the Fifa Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (Pass), is intended to let ticket-holders with long wait times “opt with Fifa for a prioritised interview,” the president said at the White House.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that possession of a match ticket will not automatically grant entry to the United States. He said that foreign nationals applying for tourist visas will still undergo standard security checks, but those with World Cup tickets could be moved up in the queue to receive an interview within six to eight weeks of applying.
Marco Rubio said: “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US,” and added, “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.”
Speaking alongside President Trump and Mr Rubio, Fifa President Gianni Infantino said there could be a very large influx of visitors for the tournament. He said: “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.”
Organisers expect millions of visitors for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July 2026, with the majority of matches in the US.
Long embassy appointment waits in some countries have been cited as a concern. Data published by the US State Department shows applicants in Colombia face waits of about 11 months, Mexico City around nine and a half months, and non-Canadian citizens living in Toronto as much as 14 months for interviews. If those delays persist, some applicants could still be waiting after the tournament has concluded.
The US Travel Association welcomed the announcement. Its chief executive Geoff Freeman said: “The expedited process for Fifa ticket-holders adds needed efficiency without sacrificing security.” He added: “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 remains unclear whether the prioritised appointment system will apply to citizens of countries affected by recent US travel restrictions. In June, President Trump signed an executive order banning nationals of 12 countries from entering the US, citing security concerns. The order exempts athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, but supporters from those countries could still be barred.
Iran, whose team has qualified for the tournament, is among the countries named in the travel restrictions.
Not every visitor travelling to the US will require a visa; many nationals from countries in the US visa waiver programme can travel visa-free for up to 90 days. At recent World Cups in Russia and Qatar, fan identification systems issued with tickets functioned in a similar way to a visa for entry to the host country.
The BBC has contacted the US State Department for comment.
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