The United States Department of State announced Wednesday that the administration of President Donald Trump will suspend a controversial financial guarantee requirement for certain foreign visitors attending the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
Under the revised policy, eligible football fans from selected countries who have officially purchased World Cup tickets will no longer be required to pay a financial bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States.
According to the State Department, the exemption applies specifically to visitors from countries that qualified for the World Cup and were previously subject to the bond requirement due to concerns over visa overstays and security-related issues.
The financial guarantee policy had been introduced last year as part of a broader immigration enforcement campaign targeting nations identified by U.S. authorities as having high rates of visa violations.
Travelers from 50 countries had been affected by the measure. Five of those nations, Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia, have qualified for the tournament and are now exempt from the payment requirement if they purchased tickets through FIFA.
Players, coaches, and certain team officials had already been excluded from the bond policy under special visa-processing arrangements linked to the tournament.
Maura Namdar said the United States is preparing to host what it hopes will be “the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” adding that eligible fans using the “FIFA Plus” fast-track visa appointment system will also receive exemptions from visa-related fees beginning April 15.
The move represents a rare easing of immigration-related restrictions under the current administration and is expected to reduce travel costs and administrative burdens for thousands of football supporters planning to attend the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on June 11 next year and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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