The United States will give priority in visa appointments to World Cup ticket holders

President Donald Trump announced that US embassies will give visa priority to travelers holding tickets to the 2026 World Cup.

Trump said at the White House on Monday that FIFA’s Priority Appointment Scheduling (Pass) system “will allow World Cup ticket holders with long wait times to be selected with FIFA for a priority interview.”

Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said that ticket holders for the tournament scheduled to be held next June and July in the United States, Canada and Mexico will not automatically obtain a tourist visa.

Rubio said foreign citizens with tickets to World Cup soccer matches can get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying.

“Your ticket is not a visa; it does not guarantee entry into the United States,” Rubio, also at the White House on Monday, said.

“We’ll do the same vetting process that anyone else would do. The only difference here is that we move them up the queue.”

The 2026 Men’s World Cup will be co-hosted across North America, with Mexico and Canada, with most matches taking place in the United States.

Speaking in the Oval Office with Trump and Rubio, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said as many as 10 million visitors could come to the United States to watch World Cup matches.

He said: “With this FIFA card, we can ensure that those who buy a ticket, whether they are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting with obtaining the visa.”

Some countries whose national teams have already qualified for next year’s tournament currently have long waiting times for visa appointments.

In Colombia, travelers applying for U.S. visas currently wait about 11 months for an interview appointment, according to data published by the U.S. State Department, the agency that processes visa applications.

The average wait time in Mexico City is nine and a half months, while non-Canadian citizens residing in Toronto can expect a 14-month wait for appointments.

If these wait times continue, the World Cup will have already been held and the Gold Cup already awarded by the time fan visas from some countries have been approved.

Not all travelers coming to the United States next year will need a visa. Most citizens of countries subject to the US waiver program can travel without a visa for up to 90 days. This scheme covers a large part of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others.

In the last two FIFA World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, a ticket to a match produced a fan ID card that could be used as a visa to enter the host country.