A meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump has resulted in FIFA World Cup ticket-holders receiving prioritized visa interviews, according to FIFA.
Monday's announcement outlined a new FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS), aimed at making the process for acquiring visas for the tournament as smooth as possible, and hopefully boosting international attendance for the 2026 World Cup in the process.
A stricter approach to immigration and deportations by the Trump administration in 2025 has led to public questioning of the wisdom in holding soccer's preeminent tournament in North America, as had been previously scheduled.
The World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 cities, welcoming 48 teams to compete (expanded from 32).
"The United States is set to welcome fans from around the world on an unprecedented scale, and we are preparing to ensure that football unites the world when the tournament kicks off in North America next June," Infantino said in a statement.
Demand for tickets has seemingly not been dampened by immigration concerns, with over a million tickets sold during FIFA's first rollout in October.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio added, "The United States is offering prioritized appointments so FIFA World Cup fans can complete their visa interviews and show they qualify. The kick-off is coming up, so now is the time to apply. We're honored to host the greatest and safest World Cup in history."
"Foreign nationals with tickets to World Cup football matches could get an interview at an embassy or consulate within six to eight weeks of applying," Rubio said.
Some countries whose national teams have already qualified for next year's tournament currently have long wait times for visa appointments.
In Colombia, travellers applying for US visas are currently waiting around 11 months for an interview appointment, according to data published by the US State Department, the agency which processes visa applications.
According to a BBC report, the average wait time in Mexico City is nine and half months, while non-Canadian citizen residents of Toronto can expect a wait of 14 months for appointments.
It is unclear if the new appointment rules will cover ticket-holders from countries whose citizens are mostly or entirely banned from travelling to the US. In June, Trump signed an executive order banning nationals from 12 countries from entering the US, citing an effort to manage security threats
Iran, whose football team has qualified for the World Cup, is among the countries affected by the ban. The June executive order exempts athletes and coaching staff travelling for the World Cup and 2028 Olympics, though its fans could still face a ban.
The BBC has contacted the US State Department for comment.
Not all travellers coming to the US next year will need a visa. Most citizens of countries under the US waiver programme can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days. That scheme covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others.
At the two most recent World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, a ticket to a game generated a fan ID that could be used like a visa to enter the host country, reported BBC.