World Cup 2026: US Opens Priority Visa Appointments for Ticket Holders

World Cup 2026 ticket holders can now access priority visa appointments for travel to the United States - but doubt remains whether fans from every country to have qualified will be able to enter. The Fifa Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System - or Fifa Pass - announced by US President Donald Trump in November, went live on Tuesday. It was introduced in part because citizens of some countries whose teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup may not otherwise receive visa appointments in time for the tournament. But the US State Department has stressed that a Fifa Pass appointment does not guarantee a visa will be approved, with all ticket holders having to "undergo thorough security screening and vetting". Most citizens of countries under the US visa waiver programme, which covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others, can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days, so do not need to use the Fifa Pass. Travellers from those countries would need to apply instead for an Esta - an Electronic System for Travel Authorization. A senior State Department official said the new Fifa Pass system will cut wait times - with applicants in "over 80%" of countries now able to schedule a visa appointment in "less that 60 days". It added: "At the visa appointment, the applicant must show they qualify for the visa and plan to follow our laws and leave at the end of the tournament. America's safety and the security of our borders will always come first." Football fans in countries affected by the US suspending the processing of immigrant visas will still be able to apply to travel to the country for this year's World Cup. The US said last Wednesday it will pause processing immigrant visas from 75 countries,, external 15 of which have qualified for the World Cup, including five-time winners Brazil. A further seven nations on the list are still in contention to qualify for this year's tournament, which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July. The State Department confirmed on Tuesday the pause "applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only" and "does not apply to non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, athletes and their families, and media professionals".