Trump Administration Launches Priority Visa Program for 2026 FIFA World Cup Attendees

FIFA established an office in Trump Tower this past June.

President Donald Trump has announced the implementation of a priority visa system for 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket holders, designed to manage the anticipated influx of international visitors to the sporting event.

On Monday, Trump highlighted the creation of a "prioritised appointment scheduling system" that will expedite the visa process for World Cup ticket holders facing extended wait times.

According to a statement from FIFA, this State Department-led initiative will provide priority access to visa interviews for fans who purchase tickets through the official FIFA platform. These expedited interviews are expected to become available in early 2026.

The president stated that the State and Homeland Security departments have 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 upcoming World Cup, which will make history as the first tournament hosted jointly by three nations – the United States, Mexico, and Canada – is projected to attract massive international attendance and deliver substantial economic benefits to host cities.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who joined Trump in the Oval Office meeting, emphasized that "safety and security is the number-one priority for a successful World Cup."

Trump's announcement followed a meeting of the White House World Cup task force, established by executive order to address the logistical and security challenges of hosting the premier international soccer tournament. The task force coordinates various federal agencies in planning and executing the event, with Trump serving as chair, Vice President JD Vance as vice chair, and Andrew Giuliani, son of Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, as executive director.

An enthusiastic sports fan who has attended numerous high-profile sporting events since returning to office, Trump has actively involved himself in World Cup planning. Meanwhile, FIFA has leveraged the upcoming tournament to expand its presence in the United States.

While the president has committed to facilitating travel and visa access for World Cup participants, critics have expressed concern that immigration restrictions and increased federal policing in Democratic-controlled cities might undermine these commitments. Last month, Trump suggested he might relocate World Cup matches from Boston and the 2028 Olympics from Los Angeles if he deemed these cities inadequately prepared or unsafe.

Trump has also experienced tensions with the other host nations over trade issues, recently suspending talks with Canada after taking offense to an advertisement from Ontario's government that criticized his tariff policies.

The president reiterated these concerns on Monday and indicated his willingness to provide military assistance to cities that request it for maintaining order.

"You know, the governors are going to have to behave. The mayors are going to have to behave. You know, in the case of California, you have a problem, you have high crime, then you have a place that just suffered great fires and everything else, and they didn't do a very good job," Trump commented regarding Los Angeles.

"I love Los Angeles. If they want help during this, I would love to send in National Guard or whoever is necessary to help them. I want it to be great. I'd love it to be in Los Angeles," he added.

Monday's task force meeting precedes next month's World Cup draw, which will determine the tournament's group stage match-ups. The draw will take place at the Kennedy Center, another institution Trump has sought to influence.

The US president has maintained a positive relationship with FIFA's Infantino, hosting him at the White House on multiple occasions and attending the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium earlier this year.

In June, FIFA opened an office in Trump Tower, with Eric Trump, executive vice-president of the Trump Organization and the president's son, attending the opening ceremony. This followed the 2024 establishment of a FIFA office in Miami, Florida, which houses the organization's legal division.