President Donald Trump announced the ‘FIFA Pass,’ an initiative offering expedited visa appointments for World Cup ticket holders to streamline travel for the upcoming soccer tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
The Trump administration on Monday unveiled a new initiative to assist foreigners traveling to the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup in securing their visas more quickly.
Dubbed “FIFA Pass,” the system is intended to balance President Donald Trump’s tough-on-migration stance with the need to accommodate the expected “five and 10 million people coming to America from all over the world” for the soccer tournament. The “pass” stands for “prioritized appointments scheduling system.”
The announcement was made at the White House alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who explained the new system.
Infantino noted to President Trump, “You said it the very first time we met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world.”
According to a report from The Associated Press, the “FIFA Pass” allows those who have purchased World Cup tickets through FIFA to use a “FIFA portal” that would help get their application prioritized at the State Department.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear that the expedited process does not guarantee entry, stating:
“We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is, we’re moving them up in the queue.”
Rubio added that the State Department has dispatched “more than 400 additional consular officers” globally to handle the demand, which has already slashed visa wait times from up to a year to under 60 days in approximately 80 percent of countries.
President Trump encouraged all potential World Cup travelers to the U.S. to apply for their visas “right away.”