2026 World Cup off to a shaky start! Why visa issues may prevent fans from attending United States-hosted matches

FIFA's flagship tournament, which was last won by Argentina in 2022, will include 48 countries for the first time and will be held in 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. While there is excitement about the men's competition coming to the Americas, fears are reportedly growing about some big logistical issues.

According to The Athletic, concerns have been raised to the U.S. government that fans may stay away from the World Cup due to lengthy wait times to process visa applications to visit the country. The report states wait times for U.S. visa interviews in Mexico City and Guadalajara are 878 days and 820 respectively - so an application made now (April 26) may not be approved before the World Cup begins in 777 days (June 11, 2026). The publication adds wait times are at 685 days in the Colombian capital of Bogota, 477 days for Panama City, and 420 days for Quito in Ecuador.

In a statement to The Athletic, the statement department (which oversees international relations) said: “We encourage prospective FIFA World Cup visitors who will need U.S. visas to apply now – there is no requirement to have purchased event tickets, made hotel reservations, or reserved airline tickets to qualify for a visitor visa.”

A FIFA spokesperson added they are working closely with the U.S. Government to try and reduce the visa wait times.

The report adds the three hosts countries have differing entry criteria for visitors and this could possibly create visa confusion for fans trying to follow their team's progress in the competition and potentially across different countries. Moreover, this is the first World Cup where FIFA is tasked with pulling everything together, in conjunction with 'layers of stakeholders and bureaucracy' across three nations and 16 host cities. This could add to the logistical difficulties.

The organisational issues may continue for the tournament hosts as many countries won't qualify until late in 2025, reducing their chances of getting a visa interview in time. Nations in the play-offs may not qualify until early 2026, possibly providing another logistical headache.