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The United States government has announced that football fans from dozens of countries who are travelling for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will no longer be required to pay the controversial $15000 visa deposit, provided they have valid World Cup match tickets.
The decision marks a major shift in policy by the Trump administration ahead of the global tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June. The World Cup is expected to attract millions of fans from around the world, making it one of the largest sporting events in history.
According to Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar, the exemption applies specifically to qualified fans from 50 countries that had previously been subjected to the visa bond requirement.
“We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets,” Namdar said in a statement to the BBC.
Among the countries benefiting from the exemption are Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia, all of which have already qualified for the tournament. The move is expected to ease travel concerns for supporters from these nations who had feared the costly visa process could prevent them from attending the competition.
The visa bond programme was introduced last year as part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. Under the programme, visitors from selected countries were required to deposit up to $15000 before entering the United States. The money would then be refunded once the traveller returned home after their visit.
The US State Department said the policy was aimed at reducing visa overstays and addressing cases where “screening and vetting information is considered deficient.” The programme was launched as a 12 month pilot initiative in August last year.
Before Wednesday’s announcement, exemptions had already been granted to players, coaches and official tournament staff travelling for World Cup related duties. Ordinary supporters, however, had remained subject to the requirement despite purchasing tickets for the tournament.
FIFA welcomed the latest development and praised its continued cooperation with the White House in preparation for the event.
In a statement, FIFA said the announcement demonstrates the ongoing collaboration with the US administration “to deliver a successful, record breaking and unforgettable global event.”
“We are grateful to the Administration for the ongoing partnership,” FIFA added.
Despite the waiver for most travelling supporters, some restrictions remain in place. Travellers from Iran and Haiti are still barred from entering under existing travel restrictions, although players and coaches from those countries are exempt when travelling for World Cup activities.
Meanwhile, travellers from Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions under an expanded version of the travel ban, even though both countries have secured qualification for the tournament.
The visa issue has also drawn criticism from human rights organisations and immigration advocates. Rights groups have warned that stricter entry requirements and expanded screening measures could discourage fans from travelling to the United States during the World Cup.
Late last year, the US government announced that visitors from several countries could also be asked to provide a five year social media history as part of their visa application process. Critics argue that such policies may increase surveillance, racial profiling and the risk of denied entry for travellers.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams and is expected to break attendance records across North America.
