"When the 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in North America, it will be one of the largest travel moments in modern history. The expanded 48-team tournament will bring matches to cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico -and with them, millions of international fans booking flights, reserving hotel rooms, and building itineraries around match days. For the US, that translates to a massive tourism surge: millions of visitors converging on 11 cities from New York and Miami to Los Angeles and Seattle."
"But for many would-be spectators, simply getting to the US could prove to be the biggest hurdle. In recent years, visa interview wait times in some World Cup host countries have stretched into the hundreds of days-longer than the countdown to kickoff itself. On top of the bureaucratic bottlenecks of getting a tourist visa right now, the Trump administration's recent immigration visa freeze, expanded travel ban, and increased visa fees have led many international visitors to reconsider travel to the US,"
North America will host the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, bringing millions of international visitors. The US anticipates a tourism surge with millions converging on 11 host cities from New York and Miami to Los Angeles and Seattle. Long visa interview wait times in some host countries and recent US policies — an immigration visa freeze, expanded travel ban, and higher visa fees — have discouraged travel and reduced overseas visitation. The US introduced the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System ("FIFA Pass") to give official ticket holders expedited visa interview appointments at select embassies and consulates. The system is operational and requires tickets purchased through FIFA’s official website.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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