A new US decision to suspend immigration visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including some qualified nations, has sparked deep concern about a potential fan crisis at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The move raises fears that some qualified national teams could be deprived of large sections of their travelling support for reasons unrelated to football.
The US State Department announced that consulates will stop handling visa applications from these countries, arguing that migrants from them show “unacceptable” levels of dependence on American government assistance. The suspension will remain in place until Washington is satisfied that new arrivals will not “loot” the wealth of the American people, according to the official statement. Unlike previous tournaments such as Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, which used fan ID systems to ease entry, the US insists all supporters go through standard consular procedures.
FIFA has declined to confront the decision directly, merely warning fans that holding a match ticket does not guarantee entry to the host nations.
In a formal message, FIFA urged supporters to check the official government sites of the United States, Canada, and Mexico for visa rules and to apply as early as possible, noting that World Cup ticket holders can soon benefit from a “FIFA PASS” system to prioritize interview appointments.
