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President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will roll out a priority visa system for spectators attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a move aimed at managing the expected surge of international visitors for the global tournament.
Speaking on Monday, Trump highlighted the introduction of a “prioritised appointment scheduling system,” explaining that it would help ease lengthy visa wait times by fast-tracking applications from fans who already hold match tickets.
According to FIFA, which issued a statement on the initiative, the US State Department will lead the programme. Supporters with tickets purchased directly through FIFA will receive priority access to visa interview slots, with those expedited interviews anticipated to become available in early 2026.
The president noted that both the State and Homeland Security departments had collaborated to “ensure that soccer fans from all around the world are properly vetted and able to come to the United States next summer easily.”
The 2026 World Cup — the first to be jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada — is expected to attract massive crowds and generate significant economic benefits for host cities across the three countries.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who joined Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, emphasised the importance of security, stating, “I think safety and security is the number-one priority for a successful World Cup.”
Trump’s remarks came after a meeting of the White House task force on the World Cup, a panel created to tackle the complex logistical and security demands of staging the sport’s premier event. Formed through an executive order, the task force is charged with coordinating federal agencies involved in planning, organising, and executing the tournament. Trump appointed himself as chair, with Vice President JD Vance serving as vice chair and Andrew Giuliani, son of Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, taking the role of executive director.
Monday’s meeting precedes next month’s draw for the group stage match-ups, set to take place at the Kennedy Centre — another institution where Trump has sought to assert his influence.
Trump has maintained a consistently warm relationship with Infantino, hosting him at the White House on several occasions and attending the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium earlier this year.
In June, FIFA opened an office in Trump Tower, an event attended by Eric Trump, executive vice-president of the Trump Organisation. This followed the 2024 inauguration of another FIFA office in Miami, which now houses the governing body’s legal division.
