United State President Donald Trump unveiled a new visa scheduling system specifically introduced for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the White House on Monday.
Speaking to media alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Oval Office, the U.S. President revealed details of the new system, known as FIFA PASS, designed to speed up the visa application process for visiting ticket-holders at next summer’s tournament.
FIFA’s Prioritized Appointment Scheduling System will significantly reduce wait times for visa applicants visiting the United States who have purchased tickets for the World Cup, with Infantino revealing that “between five and 10 million people” will be traveling to the U.S. for the competition.
However, this new system is not a universal solution to all the difficulties that very well may still face fans next summer.
‘World Cup Ticket Is Not a Visa’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued caution, insisting that not all ticket-holders will be permitted entry to the country, but insisted fast-tracked applications will now take less than two months as opposed to over a year in 80% of countries. 400 consular officers have been added to the Trump administration to help process applications.
“Your ticket is not a visa. It doesn’t guarantee admission to the U.S.,” Rubio said. “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’re still going to go through the same vetting. We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.”
He added: “In places, for example, like Brazil and Argentina, you would have [had] over a year to get an appointment. Now you can get [one] in less than two months.”
FIFA have revealed that tickets have been bought in over 212 countries, with over six million to be sold across the tournament. Despite incredibly high prices, demand has surged as fans seek to secure their seats for football’s biggest sporting event.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as FIFA PASS: President Trump Launches New Visa System for 2026 World Cup.
