With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in the United States next June, American authorities have moved early to avoid the visa bottlenecks that have plagued major international events in the past. In a coordinated effort between the U.S. State Department and FIFA officials, a new visa appointment system has been rolled out to ensure millions of football fans can reach the tournament venues in time.
In a major announcement ahead of the upcoming football extravaganza — jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico — the United States has introduced the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) to fast-track visa interview slots for international visitors holding World Cup tickets. Under this system, ticket holders for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be able to secure prioritized interview appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates across the world starting early 2026, according to official statements from U.S. diplomatic missions.
The initiative comes in response to historically long wait times for U.S. visa interviews in many countries, where standard appointment queues stretch far beyond the tournament’s start date. In some regions, fans faced waiting periods extending more than a year for a non-priority appointment, potentially placing World Cup travel plans at risk. The new priority interview process aims to alleviate that pressure by giving ticket holders earlier access to limited consular interview slots, though it does not guarantee visa approval, according to embassy officials.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that while priority access is being provided, all applicants must still meet standard visa eligibility and security screening requirements before being granted entry. He noted that speeding up interview scheduling is an effort to ensure fans are not left behind due to administrative delays as the event draws closer.
The U.S. State Department has also taken steps to expand its consular staffing worldwide, sending additional officers to designated countries to handle the anticipated surge in visa applications. This deployment is intended to further ease interview scheduling and reduce processing delays across many regions, with current estimates suggesting that in many participating countries visa interview slots can be secured within two months if applicants begin the process promptly. Officials advising fans also stress that individuals from countries under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program need not undergo traditional visa interviews and can travel using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), while others must apply for the standard B-1/B-2 visitor visa.
FIFA and U.S. officials have framed these early preparations as part of broader efforts to host one of the most inclusive and smoothly managed FIFA World Cups in history. Ticket sales have surged with millions expected to make the journey for matches spanning 11 U.S. cities between June and July 2026, and the priority visa system is seen as a critical logistical support for that influx.
What travellers should know: Football fans planning to attend World Cup matches in the U.S. are being advised to apply for their visa as early as possible and to take advantage of the FIFA PASS priority appointment slots once the system becomes active in early 2026. However, holding a match ticket or securing an early interview does not automatically grant entry — the visa application must still successfully pass full consular scrutiny.
