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World Cup 2026
The US has canceled a $15,000 financial guarantee requirement for ticket-holding fans from five Arab and African nations ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The United States has scrapped a controversial $15,000 financial guarantee previously required for tourist visa applicants from certain countries, applying the exemption to fans holding official tickets for the 2026 World Cup. The move follows months of debate over visa restrictions that had targeted citizens of specific nations.
According to the U.S. State Department, supporters of qualified World Cup teams who register in the "FIFA Visa Pass" system will no longer need to post the bond. This benefits five Arab and African nations that have secured spots in the tournament and whose citizens were previously subject to the measure: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia.
Maura Namdar, head of consular affairs at the State Department, stated that fans who have purchased match tickets and pre-registered in the visa-fastening system will not be asked to pay any financial guarantee. She added that the exemption may also extend to team members, official delegations, and tournament-related staff.
The policy change is part of broader preparations for the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico. The tournament is expected to be the largest in history in terms of both participating teams and spectator numbers.
Despite the new facilitations, lingering worries persist over U.S. immigration and security procedures, particularly following tightened policies under President Donald Trump, which included inspection campaigns and arrests of those violating residency laws in recent months.
Human rights organizations, notably Human Rights Watch, had previously urged FIFA to secure clear assurances from U.S. authorities that no immigration-related operations would be conducted inside stadiums or near match venues during the tournament.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for its part, has stated that international visitors carrying valid legal documents "have nothing to worry about," emphasizing that the government is working to ease fan entry while maintaining national security requirements.
