Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, supporters from several qualified nations, including Senegal, Iran, Haiti and Ivory Coast, face additional complications due to existing travel restrictions affecting entry into the United States. And as noted by FIFA, fans traveling to World Cup matches must have a valid passport and either an unexpired visa or approved travel authorization.
Fans from the Democratic Republic of Congo face a different type of uncertainty following a recent Ebola outbreak in Central Africa that has prompted public health concerns and new travel restrictions.
In response, FIFA and the U.S. government have now launched the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System, also dubbed as FIFA PASS, which allows verified ticket holders who purchase directly from FIFA and opt in to the program to access prioritized B1 and B2 visa interview appointments.
The U.S. State Department says all ticket holders must still undergo standard screening and demonstrate eligibility for a visa.
Attention FIFA World Cup 2026™ Ticket Holders! You’ve got your ticket, but you also need a visa. The FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) gives verified ticket holders who purchase directly from FIFA and opt in for FIFA PASS access to prioritized B1/B2 visitor… pic.twitter.com/IwVLqrcUix
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) February 19, 2026
For months, immigration policy under the Trump administration has fueled questions about how the United States will handle the influx of international fans for one of the world's biggest sporting events.
Those measures have included travel restrictions and proposals requiring some visitors to submit social media histories as part of the entry process. But such strict measures seem to have been relaxed a little by the administration.
The State Department also previously considered requiring visitors from certain countries to post bonds of up to $15,000 to obtain visas, a policy that was suspended earlier this month.
As of early April, officials estimated the bond requirement would have affected roughly 250 people, though that figure was expected to shift as ticket sales increased and some fans opted not to travel, NPR reported.
Last month, Amnesty International and other human rights groups issued a "World Cup travel advisory," warning of what they described as rising authoritarianism and increasing violence in the United States during the immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump.
The groups said the advisory was issued due to what they described as a deteriorating human rights environment and a lack of clear guarantees from FIFA, host cities or the U.S. government.
In March, Amnesty International published its Humanity Must Win: Defending Rights, Tackling Repression at the 2026 FIFA World Cup report, where the organization said the world's biggest sporting event carries major risks not only for fans, but also for players, journalists, workers and local communities alike.
All three countries are said to be experiencing crises that threaten human rights in different ways. According to the report, the most serious threat for people attending this year's World Cup in the United States comes from immigration authorities. The organization noted that so far neither FIFA nor U.S. officials have provided guarantees that people will be safe from ethnic profiling, indiscriminate raids, unlawful detention and deportation.
An analysis of immigration data conducted by Amnesty International estimates that last year Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection deported more than 500,000 people, nearly enough to fill MetLife Stadium — this year's venue for the World Cup final — eight times.
