For citizens of certain countries, it may already be too late to obtain a visa to enter the United States to attend the 2026 Soccer World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico, is causing increasing concern due to visa processing times for foreign visitors.
The U.S. Travel Association has once again sounded the alarm, indicating that long delays in obtaining visas could seriously hamper the influx of international visitors. It may even be too late for fans from certain countries…
Reuters reports today that Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the non-profit US Travel Association, believes that the window for obtaining a visitor’s visa to the US for the 2026 Soccer World Cup is closing for some soccer fans.
“If you don’t have your visa today, you’re not getting here for a World Cup that’s taking place in 2026,” says Geoff Freeman.
The U.S. government, on the other hand, says that travelers still have time, and that the situation is not that dire.
“While we encourage prospective FIFA World Cup visitors who will need U.S. visas to apply now, there is still plenty of time for fans to apply for their visas,” says a State Department spokesperson.
The U.S. Department of State explains that more than 30 million travelers hold valid U.S. tourist visas and will therefore have no problem attending the 2026 World Cup.
European tourists may need a visa to visit the United States
According to Geoff Freeman, applicants wait an average of 260 days for an appointment to obtain a first-time visitor visa.
According to the US Travel Association, the average wait time in Colombia is currently around 670 days, meaning these visitors could miss the tournament. In Mexico, the average waiting time is 458 days, and travelers from India have to wait up to 404 days for an interview.
These figures could dissuade many soccer fans from planning their trip, thus jeopardizing the tourism revenue expected from the event. The potential economic benefits of the World Cup are considerable, with estimates of billions of dollars injected into the local economies of host cities.
What’s more, recent regulations could further complicate the situation for US visa-exempt travelers…
Indeed, travelers, including European citizens usually exempted from visas thanks to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), are subject to a visa requirement if they have traveled to Cuba since January 12, 2021, and are therefore no longer eligible for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization).
This follows the US decision to classify Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism”, adding further complications for fans wishing to attend the World Cup.
In some European countries, it takes more than 100 calendar days to obtain an interview appointment for a B1 or B2 non-immigrant visa.
With less than two years to go until kick-off, it’s imperative that the U.S. tackles these challenges quickly to ensure a seamless experience for the millions of visitors expected to attend, and preserve the country’s image as a welcoming destination for global events.
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