The United States will speed up the issuance of visas for foreign visitors who have tickets to World Cup games, scheduled for next year in 11 American cities, President Donald Trump said this Monday (17).
The American government will implement a scheduling system for visa interviews that will give priority to foreign fans attending World Cup games, scheduled to take place between June 11 and July 19. Mexico and Canada will also host matches.
Trump said in the Oval Office of the White House that government agencies worked “to ensure that football fans from around the world are properly vetted and can come to the U.S. next summer without issue.”
The president also said that his government has accelerated the issuance of visas for citizens of most countries, reducing the waiting time to 60 days or less. He stated that the World Cup could generate US$30 billion (R$159 billion) and create 200,000 jobs.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department has hired 400 additional consular officers to process applications, doubling its presence in certain countries.
“The U.S. is offering priority appointments so fans can complete their visa interviews and prove they meet the requirements,” Rubio said.
At the White House, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that between 5 and 10 million people should travel to the United States to watch the matches.
FIFA reported that more than one million tickets have already been purchased by fans from 212 countries.
In a statement, football’s governing body said that ticket holders will receive more information about the priority visa booking system in early 2026.
