What U.S. Visa and Entry Requirements Apply to International Fans Attending the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Three Travel Authorization Tracks

Every international fan who wants to watch a match in a U.S. host city falls into one of three travel authorization tracks, determined entirely by nationality:

Note that even an approved ESTA or valid B1/B2 visa does not guarantee entry. Under INA §212(a) and implementing regulations at 8 CFR §235, all arriving travelers are subject to inspection by CBP officers at the port of entry. A visa or ESTA authorizes you to travel to a U.S. port of entry — admission is decided there by CBP.

Applying for a B1/B2 Visitor Visa

For fans who require a nonimmigrant visitor visa, the application process runs through the U.S. Department of State. The standard steps are as follows:

1. Complete Form DS-160 Online The DS-160 is the nonimmigrant visa application form, completed electronically at ceac.state.gov. Answer all questions accurately. Misrepresentations — even inadvertent ones — are a statutory bar to admissibility under INA §212(a)(6)(C) and can affect future travel to the United States for years.
2. Upload a Passport Photo and Pay the Fee The nonimmigrant visa application fee is $185 (MRV fee) per applicant. The fee is nonrefundable regardless of whether the visa is issued. The DS-160 requires a qualifying photograph that meets State Department specifications.
3. Schedule a Consular Interview Virtually all adult B1/B2 applicants are required to appear for an in-person interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Interview availability varies dramatically by post. As of mid-2026, some posts have wait times measured in days; others have backlogs stretching several months. Apply as early as possible.
4. Prepare for the Interview The central question a consular officer asks is whether you intend to return home after your visit. Under INA §214(b), all nonimmigrant visa applicants are presumed to have immigrant intent unless they overcome that presumption by demonstrating strong ties to their home country. Evidence of ties includes employment, property ownership, family, and financial obligations in your home country. Your World Cup ticket is not, by itself, evidence of intent to return.
5. Attend the Interview; Provide Biometrics You will be fingerprinted and photographed at the consulate. Bring your passport, DS-160 confirmation, fee receipt, a printed photo, and any supporting documents. Supporting documents might include bank statements, a letter from your employer, property records, or prior U.S. visa stamps demonstrating a compliance history.
6. Passport Return and Visa Stamp If approved, your passport is returned with the visa stamp inside. Verify the visa category (B1/B2), validity period, and number of entries before departing. A multiple-entry visa allows you to enter multiple times within the validity period; a single-entry visa does not.

Passport Validity Requirement

All travelers entering the United States must hold a passport valid for at least six months beyond their intended period of stay, unless they are a national of a country that has a bilateral agreement exempting them from this rule. Verify your passport's expiration date before scheduling your consular interview. An expired or soon-to-expire passport can result in visa denial or, more seriously, refusal of admission at the port of entry even if a visa has already been issued.

Duration of Stay and the B1/B2 Classification

The B2 classification covers tourism and attendance at events — including sporting matches. B1 covers business activity. USCIS and CBP treat B1/B2 as a combined classification for most purposes. The standard period of admission for B visitors is six months from the date of entry. The specific length of your authorized stay is determined by the CBP officer at the port of entry and will be stamped in your passport or noted in your electronic record. Do not overstay. Overstaying the authorized period triggers unlawful presence accrual under INA §212(a)(9)(B), which can bar you from returning to the United States for three or ten years depending on the duration of the overstay.

How FIFA PASS Works

FIFA PASS — the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System — is a program designed specifically for the 2026 World Cup that allows B1/B2 visa applicants who purchased their tickets directly from FIFA to access priority consular interview slots. The U.S. State Department added over 400 additional consular officers globally to support World Cup demand and represented that approximately 80 percent of applicants worldwide could secure an appointment within 60 days through the enhanced system.

FIFA PASS works as follows:

1. Log in to Your FIFA.com Account and Opt In Submit the FIFA PASS opt-in form through your official FIFA account. The information you enter must match the information you will use in your DS-160 visa application exactly. Nationals of Colombia have a special provision: they may apply for a B1/B2 visa at the U.S. embassy in Panama City or at U.S. embassies and consulates in Brazil.
2. Complete Your DS-160 and Pay the Visa Fee Begin the visa application process simultaneously. When asked during consular scheduling whether you are a FIFA ticket holder, answer yes. The system will cross-reference your information against the FIFA PASS database.
3. Access Priority Interview Slot If your FIFA PASS information matches your visa application data, you will be routed to a priority appointment. Priority access is to the interview slot — it does not expedite the actual adjudication or guarantee a visa will be issued.

Fans who already had interview appointments scheduled on or before May 31, 2026, were advised by FIFA and the State Department to keep those existing appointments rather than reschedule, as rescheduling risked pushing the date past the tournament's opening.

FIFA Collect Ticket Holders

Fans who purchased tickets through FIFA Collect were given a separate window to request a FIFA PASS key during a conversion process that ran in mid-May 2026. If you fall into this category and have not yet acted, contact your U.S. embassy directly.

Travel Bans: 39 Countries Affected

The 2026 World Cup is taking place against a backdrop of significant expansion in U.S. entry restrictions. Two separate presidential proclamations — one signed in June 2025 and one in December 2025 — together restrict or suspend B1/B2 visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries. The January 1, 2026 effective date brought the expanded list fully into force as tournament preparations accelerated.

Full Suspension (19 Countries)

Nationals of the countries subject to full visa suspension cannot obtain B1/B2 visitor visas under any circumstances. They cannot attend World Cup matches in U.S. host cities. Citizens of these countries may still attend matches held in Canada or Mexico if they qualify for entry into those countries under separate authorization. Nationals holding dual citizenship with a country not on the suspension list may apply for a visa using that passport.

Partial Suspension (20 Additional Countries)

Nationals of the 20 countries subject to partial restrictions also face suspension of B1/B2 visitor visa issuance. The partial suspension countries include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and others. Individuals from these countries generally cannot obtain visitor visas unless they hold citizenship from a country not on either suspension list.

The Athlete and Team Exemption

Both presidential proclamations include an exemption for athletes, coaches, necessary support personnel, and their immediate relatives traveling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or comparable international competitions. This exemption applies specifically to participating team members and their families. It does not extend to journalists, corporate sponsors, or general spectators from the affected countries.

Nationals Holding Valid Visas Issued Before the Proclamation Effective Dates

Nationals of the originally banned countries (June 2025 proclamation) who hold valid B1/B2 visas issued before June 9, 2025, may still be eligible to travel to the United States. For the expanded list (December 2025 proclamation), visas issued before January 1, 2026, may similarly retain their validity. CBP makes the ultimate admissibility determination at the port of entry. Nationals in this situation should consult with an immigration attorney before booking travel, as admissibility under INA §212(a) involves multiple factors beyond visa validity.

The Visa Bond Pilot Program

Separate from — and in addition to — the travel ban, the U.S. Department of State is operating a Visa Bond Pilot Program for B1/B2 applicants from designated countries. The program was established by Temporary Final Rule, running from August 20, 2025 through August 5, 2026, with authority grounded in INA §221(g)(3). The Federal Register notice appears at 90 FR 37378 (Aug. 5, 2025).

Under this program, nationals of the listed countries who are otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visitor visa may be required to post a refundable bond before the visa is issued. The bond amount is determined by the consular officer during the interview:

The bond is submitted using DHS Form I-352 and paid via Pay.gov. If the traveler departs the United States before their authorized period of stay expires, the bond is canceled and returned. If the traveler overstays their authorized period, the bond is forfeited. The bond is not a payment for admission — it is a financial obligation tied to compliance with the terms of your visa.

Countries Subject to the Bond Requirement

As of May 2026, more than 45 countries are on the visa bond list. Among the countries whose national teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, five are subject to the bond requirement: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Tunisia. Note that Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal are also subject to the partial visa suspension described above; for most nationals of those two countries, the ban means visa issuance is suspended entirely rather than conditioned on a bond.

The program applies specifically to B1/B2 applicants. It does not apply to nationals applying for F, M, J, H, O, L, or TN nonimmigrant categories, nor to VWP/ESTA travelers.

The FIFA World Cup Bond Waiver

In May 2026, the Trump Administration announced a targeted waiver of the bond requirement for fans attending the World Cup. The waiver applies to nationals of competing countries who purchased FIFA World Cup tickets directly from FIFA and opted into the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System by the April 15, 2026 deadline.

What Happens at U.S. Ports of Entry

Every person arriving in the United States — regardless of nationality, visa category, or ESTA status — is subject to inspection by CBP under 8 CFR Part 235. The inspection process covers three components: immigration (verifying identity, status, and admissibility), customs (verifying declarations and reviewing goods), and agriculture (evaluating items for prohibited agricultural products). These are conducted by CBP officers at each port of entry.

The Immigration Inspection

During the immigration component, the CBP officer will review your passport, visa or ESTA approval, and purpose of travel. The officer has independent authority to refuse admission even if a valid visa or ESTA is in place. The grounds of inadmissibility are set out in INA §212(a) and include health-related grounds, criminal grounds, prior immigration violations, and security-related grounds, among others.

If you have any prior immigration history in the United States — prior overstays, prior removal proceedings, prior visa denials, or periods of unlawful presence — you should consult with an immigration attorney before traveling. Some prior violations trigger automatic bars under INA §212(a)(9) that may not be visible to you but will appear in CBP records.

Health-Related Grounds

Under INA §212(a)(1)(A), travelers with certain communicable diseases or conditions of public health significance may be found inadmissible. If CBP officers encounter a traveler who may be inadmissible on public health grounds, they may refer that traveler to a panel physician for evaluation before an admissibility determination is made. Panel physician evaluations are valid for one year; a new evaluation is required if the prior one has expired. CBP provides a list of panel physicians at the port of entry for travelers who are referred.

If You Are Found Inadmissible

A determination of inadmissibility at the port of entry can have serious downstream consequences. The officer may place you in formal removal proceedings, or — at the officer's sole discretion — permit you to withdraw your application for admission. Either outcome may affect your future admissibility and may result in cancellation of your visa. If you have concerns about admissibility before you travel, consult legal counsel in advance. CBP officers cannot provide legal advice.

Agricultural, Currency, and Customs Requirements

Immigration is not the only concern at the border. CBP enforces a separate set of agricultural, currency, and general customs requirements that apply to all arriving travelers regardless of visa status.

Declaration Requirement for Agricultural Items

All travelers entering the United States are legally required to declare meats, fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, and animal products — including food items, souvenirs, and biological materials — on their Customs Declaration Form (CBP Form 6059B) or in the CBP mobile application. The declaration covers all items in checked luggage, carry-on bags, and on your person. Failure to declare a prohibited or restricted agricultural item is a civil violation that can result in penalties up to $1,000 for first-time non-commercial offenses. Commercial quantities face significantly higher fines.

Many items that seem innocuous are restricted. Most fresh fruits and vegetables, many meats and meat products, and certain plants are prohibited from entry in passenger baggage without advance permits. CBP agriculture specialists at ports of entry make the final determination on whether specific items may enter. If you are unsure about a food item you are bringing, declare it and let the specialist decide. The penalty for non-declaration is significantly greater than the consequence of having a declared item confiscated.

Specific Restrictions Relevant to World Cup Travelers

Meat and meat products from many countries are prohibited due to ongoing concerns about foot-and-mouth disease, African Swine Fever, BSE, and other animal diseases. If a food product contains meat from a restricted country as an ingredient — even as a component of a processed food — the product is typically prohibited. Regulations change frequently depending on international disease outbreaks; travelers should verify current rules for their country of origin before packing food items.

Live animals, birds, and wildlife products are regulated jointly by CBP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the CDC. Hunting trophies, game carcasses, and wildlife products require advance permits. Souvenirs or goods made from species protected under CITES may not be importable regardless of where they were purchased.

Currency Reporting

It is lawful to carry any amount of currency into or out of the United States. However, travelers transporting more than $10,000 in combined currency or monetary instruments — cash, traveler's checks, money orders, or negotiable bearer instruments — must file FinCEN Form 105 (Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments) with CBP. This is a reporting requirement, not a prohibition. Failure to file when required is a federal violation subject to civil and criminal penalties, and the undeclared funds may be seized.

Families traveling together and submitting a joint declaration must declare the total combined amount. Family members may not divide funds among themselves to avoid the $10,000 threshold — that practice constitutes structuring, which is independently prohibited. Members individually carrying more than $10,000 must each file a separate FinCEN Form 105. FinCEN Form 105 can be filed in paper or electronically at fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov.

Prohibited and Restricted Items: General Categories

CBP prevents importation of items that would harm public health, safety, U.S. workers, children, or domestic plant and animal life. Prohibited items — those entirely barred by law — include certain dangerous consumer products, illegal substances, and goods that violate U.S. trade laws. Restricted items require advance permits or licenses from a federal agency before they may enter. Items falling in both categories are commonly purchased as tourist souvenirs in other countries and are confiscated at the border. When in doubt before you travel, consult the CBP Prohibited and Restricted Items resource at cbp.gov.

Common Mistakes That Cause Problems at the Consulate and the Border

• Waiting too long to apply for a B1/B2 visa This is the most common and most damaging mistake. Consular wait times at many posts are measured in months. The tournament started June 11. Fans who have not yet secured their visa have very limited options and should contact an immigration attorney immediately for advice on expedited processing at specific posts.
• Relying on a ticket as proof of return intent A World Cup match ticket demonstrates only that you plan to attend a game — it does not demonstrate that you intend to return home after the tournament. The consular officer will want to see evidence of binding ties to your home country. Prepare bank statements, employment letters, proof of property ownership, and documentation of family obligations.
• Failing to disclose prior U.S. immigration history Prior overstays, visa denials, or immigration violations must be disclosed on Form DS-160. Omitting this information constitutes misrepresentation under INA §212(a)(6)(C)(i), which is an independent and potentially permanent bar to admissibility. CBP maintains extensive records. The officer will know if your DS-160 is inconsistent with your history.
• Not declaring agricultural items Fans from countries where food items are a cultural part of travel routinely discover that items in their luggage are prohibited. The fine for non-declaration is up to $1,000. When in doubt, always declare and let CBP decide.
• Assuming a ESTA approval guarantees entry ESTA approval authorizes travel to a U.S. port of entry. Admission is determined by CBP at that port. Travelers with prior U.S. violations, certain criminal records, or other inadmissibility grounds may be refused entry even with an approved ESTA.
• Not accounting for multi-country travel in travel documentation Many World Cup fans plan to travel to multiple host countries — watching group-stage games in the U.S., then crossing to Canada or Mexico for others. Each country's entry requirements must be met separately. Consular applications that mention multi-country travel can actually strengthen your nonimmigrant intent, but you must have valid authorization for each country's entry, including a Canadian Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or visitor visa for Canada and applicable Mexican entry requirements.
• Misunderstanding the bond as a "payment for the visa" Nationals of bond-required countries sometimes treat the bond as a non-refundable cost of travel. It is not — the bond is a compliance deposit that is returned after departure. Overstaying, however, means the bond is forfeited and the overstay triggers unlawful presence bars. Budget for the bond as a security deposit, not a fee.

Frequently Asked Questions