The United States government has exempted football fans from 50 countries from a $15,000 visa deposit requirement if they are travelling with valid match tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The policy, originally introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration last year, was designed to reduce visa overstays by requiring certain travellers to pay a refundable bond before entering the country.
Under the rule, affected visitors would have been required to make the payment prior to entry, with refunds issued after compliance with visa conditions and departure from the United States.
However, authorities have now confirmed that fans holding official World Cup tickets would no longer be required to pay the deposit.
Five African countries—Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia—are among those impacted by the policy and have also qualified for the tournament, which would be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11, 2026.
Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Mora Namdar, confirmed the development in a statement to the BBC.
“We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets,” Namdar said.
Officials had earlier exempted players and coaching staff travelling for the tournament, but the latest decision extends the waiver to ordinary supporters with confirmed match tickets.
The 12-month pilot programme, launched in August, was part of broader immigration tightening measures introduced by the administration.
According to the U.S. State Department, it was aimed at addressing visa overstays and cases where screening information is considered inadequate.
World football governing body FIFA welcomed the decision, describing it as a sign of continued cooperation with the White House ahead of the global tournament.
In a statement, FIFA said the move reflects ongoing collaboration with U.S. authorities “to deliver a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event”, adding: “We are grateful to the Administration for the ongoing partnership.”
Despite the exemption for World Cup fans, restrictions remained in place for travellers from countries such as Iran and Haiti, although players and coaching staff from those nations are still allowed entry for tournament purposes.
Travellers from Ivory Coast and Senegal also continued to face partial limitations under an expanded travel restriction framework.
Meanwhile, earlier measures requiring some visitors to submit up to five years of social media history as part of visa applications remain in effect, raising concerns about possible impacts on World Cup travellers.
Human rights groups have warned that the combined policies could increase risks of denied entry, heightened surveillance, racial profiling, and broader travel restrictions for international visitors attending the tournament.
