Canada rejected nearly 60 percent of visa applications submitted by international football fans ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, preventing thousands of supporters from attending matches hosted in the country.
According to data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and reported by CTV News, approximately 17,000 visa applications from fans representing more than 160 countries were processed between November 2025 and March 2026.
Only 41 percent of those applications were approved, leaving the majority of applicants unable to travel to the tournament.
Ghana recorded the highest number of visa requests, with at least 1725 applications submitted.
However, fewer than 11 percent were approved. In contrast, Colombian applicants received a 69 percent approval rate despite Colombia not playing any group-stage matches in Canada.
The figures also revealed a significant disparity based on travel document requirements. Travelers eligible for Canada's Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program enjoyed a 96 percent approval rate, while applicants requiring a traditional visitor visa were approved at a rate of just 32 percent.
Applications from several countries, including Syria, Uganda and Sri Lanka, were rejected in their entirety, while applicants from Australia, Germany, Croatia, and New Zealand received a 100 percent approval rate.
Canadian immigration authorities noted that the statistics do not include U.S. citizens, who are exempt from visa requirements, or foreign nationals who entered Canada using previously issued valid visas.
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