Us Unveils World Cup Visa System But Warns Fans Could Still Be Denied Entry

The Trump administration connected Monday unveiled a caller fast-track visa strategy for nan millions of visitors expected to travel to nan US for nan 2026 World Cup, but said fans could still beryllium denied introduction to nan state contempt holding tickets.

The Fifa prioritized assignment scheduling system, announced astatine nan White House connected Monday, will push World Cup ticket-holders to nan beforehand of nan statement for visa interviews. However, caput of authorities Marco Rubio made clear that expedited processing does not mean automatic entry.

“Your summons is not a visa. It doesn’t guarantee admittance to nan US,” Rubio said. “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’re still going to spell done nan aforesaid vetting. We’re going to do nan aforesaid vetting arsenic anybody other would get. The only quality present is we’re moving them up successful nan queue.”

The informing suggests non-American citizens wrong nan astir million people who person already bought tickets could find themselves barred from entering nan state contempt holding valid lucifer passes and securing faster assignment slots.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said World Cup officials would yet waste up to 6 to 7 cardinal tickets and told reporters successful nan Oval Office “we’ll person betwixt 5 and 10 cardinal group coming to America from each complete nan world”.

So far, astir request has been domestic: nan US, Mexico and Canada will beryllium co-hosting nan tourney adjacent June and dress up nan mostly of summons holders. But Fifa said group from 212 different countries and territories person besides already bought their tickets.

To grip nan surge successful applications, Rubio said nan authorities section has deployed much than 400 further consular officers worldwide, successful immoderate cases doubling embassy staff. The measures person already slashed visa hold times from up to a twelvemonth to 60 days aliases little successful astir 80% of countries, according to Rubio.

“In places, for example, for illustration Brazil and Argentina, you would person [had] complete a twelvemonth to get an appointment. Now you tin get [one] successful little than 2 months,” Rubio said.

Separately, Trump threatened to relocate matches from big cities he deems problematic, singling retired Seattle and its caller antiauthoritarian socialist mayor. The metropolis is scheduled to big six games.

“If we deliberation there’s going to beryllium nan motion of immoderate trouble, I would inquire [Fifa president] Gianni [Infantino] move that to a different city. We person a batch of cities that would emotion to person it,” Trump said. “If we deliberation there’s a problem successful Seattle wherever you person a very, very liberal-slash-communist politician … we’re going to move nan arena to immoderate spot wherever it’s going to beryllium appreciated and safe.”

The president said he would beryllium consenting to deploy nan nationalist defender to Los Angeles, different big city, citing concerns pinch crime and demanding California officials petition national assistance immediately.

“I would emotion to nonstop successful [the] nationalist guard, aliases whoever’s basal to thief them,” Trump said. “If there’s moreover a hint of a problem, we want to get successful location earlier nan problem. We want to make it wholly safe for [Infantino] and Fifa and each nan awesome group that are going to beryllium there.”

Trump called nan tourney a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for nan country. The US antecedently hosted nan World Cup successful 1994. The 2026 version kicks disconnected successful nan summer, and will beryllium nan first to characteristic 48 teams, expanded from nan accepted 32.