World Cup dreams stall as US visa rules silence fans

Iraqi fan Abdulla Adnan bought tickets to his country’s 2026 World Cup matches in Boston and Philadelphia, but could not obtain a US visa. He travelled to neighbouring Jordan in a last‑minute attempt to secure one, only to be told that the embassy could not issue a visa to a non‑Jordanian passport holder. The trip and tickets cost him about $1,800 (£1,300). Adnan is one of many who feel that the World Cup is becoming a “world cup for them, not us”.

Travel restrictions are not limited to Iraq. In May the US dropped the deposit requirement for tickets from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia, but many of those nations still face hurdles. The State Department’s immigration data shows that 11 qualifying countries – including Egypt, Haiti, Algeria, Kenya, Jordan, Iran, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana and Senegal – have more than a 40% visa rejection rate for all applicants. This figure is higher than the 34% average for B1/B2 visitor visas.

The UK television broadcaster BBC reported that fans from over 24 participating nations are affected by travel bans, whether they are on Trump’s list or have had visas denied due to the war in Iraq. US policy requires a $185 visa and a personal interview, as opposed to the $40 ESTA program used by 42 wealthy nations which is not available to African or Middle Eastern passport holders.

FIFA’s new “Fifa Pass” programme was introduced to give fans a priority interview slot based on valid tickets, but officials say it does not guarantee approval. Immigration lawyer Celine Atallah notes that the visa system is “the invisible gatekeeper of the World Cup”. Even with approval, border officials retain the right to refuse entry.

The US embassy in Jordan has seen a 57% refusal rate in the past year, while the Jordanian fan association reports that only one Jordanian fan has received a visa. The head of the association, Abu Kass, travelled with more than 42 documents for an interview that was denied.

The US State Department remains prepared to welcome visitors, emphasising that each visa application is adjudicated on a case‑by‑case basis. However, it has warned that the country was concerned about overstay events and that more than 538,000 incidents occurred in the 2023–2024 period.

In contrast, Canada and Mexico – co‑hosts of the 2026 World Cup – do not have travel bans but have their own visa systems. Canada requires biometric data and has not created facilities in all qualifying nations, while Mexico requires in‑person applications at overseas mission, with no diplomatic presence for several qualifying countries.