WASHINGTON — Visa restrictions imposed by the United States have shaped participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with fans, team staff and at least one match official denied entry despite holding valid tickets or credentials, as the monthlong tournament passes its midpoint.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel are present at World Cup stadiums, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who said on May 12 that ICE agents would mainly play a security role but did not rule out arrests. The deployment contradicted earlier assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that ICE would not operate inside stadiums, according to the American Immigration Council.
A U.S. travel ban covering 39 countries, including World Cup participants Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast and Senegal, has prevented most ordinary fans from those countries from obtaining visas, though exemptions were granted for athletes, coaches and essential support staff, as well as dual citizens, permanent residents and valid visa holders. A separate visa bond program had required fans from five African nations to post deposits of up to $15,000, a requirement temporarily suspended in May 2026 for ticketed applicants.
Individual cases have drawn international attention. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named the Confederation of African Football's best referee in 2025, was denied entry at Miami International Airport, with the Department of Homeland Security saying he was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns. Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein and a team photographer were questioned for nearly seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, according to Reuters. In Morocco, supporter groups reported that dozens of ticket-holding fans had their visas denied without explanation, according to Al Jazeera.
FIFA has sought to distance itself from host-country immigration decisions. "FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," the organization said in a statement, adding that "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the tournament's organization despite the disputes. "It is unfortunate what happened to Omar, the referee from Somalia, but again we don't control everything," Infantino said, adding, "Maybe sometimes it's good as well to chill, relax."
To ease processing for ticket holders, the State Department has expanded FIFA PASS, a system giving fans who purchased tickets directly from FIFA priority scheduling for B1/B2 visa interviews. The department has said fans from countries outside the visa waiver program require a valid U.S. visitor visa to attend matches.
The tournament, hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, runs through July 19, when New Jersey's MetLife Stadium hosts the final.
