Visa denials stop fans from the Global South from the 2026 World Cup in the USA

Weeks before the start of the "FIFA 2026" World Cup, which kicks off on "June 11", thousands of supporters from countries in the Global South find themselves practically cut off from the tournament. Numerous fans from "Morocco", "Brazil", "Colombia", "Ghana", "Egypt", "Senegal", and other nations are receiving mass visa denials for the "USA", even though they have already purchased tickets and invested thousands of dollars in travel preparations. The American hotel industry warns that strict migration procedures are suppressing international tourist demand in all "11 cities" in the US that will host championship matches.

Moroccan fans – among the hardest hit

The situation in "Morocco" is causing an especially strong reaction. Out of "42" members of the national team's fan sports association, "40" have received a US visa denial without any explanation. This is according to the head of the organization, "Azzeddine Atraoui". The fans fulfilled all "FIFA" requirements: they purchased packages for "three matches" worth between "500" and "1500 dollars" each, paid visa fees, and appeared for an interview at the consulate with a full set of documents.

"They arrived at the embassy, paid the visa fees — and were shocked by the denial," Atraoui shared in an interview with "Al Jazeera". According to the media, about "150" more fans from "Ghana" also received denials last month. For citizens of "27" out of the total "48" participating countries in the tournament, a US visa is mandatory, and the fees for issuing it range between "185" and "435 dollars" – sums which, for many residents of the Global South, amount to several months of income.

The US hospitality sector warns of a hit to tourism

The American Hotel and Lodging Association "AHLA" has signaled that delays in visa issuance, combined with geopolitical uncertainty, are leading to weaker-than-expected hotel bookings in host cities. In a survey among hotel owners in the host cities, "65–70 percent" pointed to visa barriers and geopolitical instability as factors that are "substantially restraining international demand". "AHLA" is calling on US authorities to speed up the processing of visa applications.

The "US Department of State" emphasizes that a "priority system" has been created for scheduling interviews for fans with "FIFA" tickets. According to the department, "80 percent" of ticket holders are given the opportunity for a visa interview within "two months". At the same time, US authorities clearly state that "possession of a ticket does not guarantee the issuance of a visa".

The Iranian national team – visas with restrictions

Parallel to the fans' problem, attention is also drawn to the case of the "Iran" national team. The squad received US visas on "June 5" after several weeks of uncertainty – just "10 days" before their first match against "New Zealand" in "Los Angeles". The US Ambassador to "Turkey", "Tom Barak", confirmed the approval of the visas in a post on "X".

Part of the support staff, however, remains without entry permission – among those denied visas is the "head of the Football Federation of Iran". The team itself has been given a condition: players and staff are required to "enter and leave the US on the same day" for each of their matches. The Iranian team's base camp for the World Cup is located in "Tijuana", "Mexico", from where the team will travel for their matches in the US.

An American administration official stated: "We will not allow the Iranian team to use this system for their own purposes for the secret transfer of terrorists into the United States under a false pretext." Thus, sports and politics intersect once again, this time in the context of security and visa control.

Football without fans: risks to reputation and economy

Mass visa denials call into question the promises of a "global" and "accessible" football celebration. For fans from the Global South, this means not only a missed dream but also significant financial losses – paid tickets, visa fees, flight and accommodation reservations that will not be used. For the American tourism industry, this is a missed opportunity for revenue from international visitors.

While stadiums in the US prepare to host the world's football stars, some of the most passionate fans remain abroad – not because of a lack of desire or funds, but because of visa decisions. Against this backdrop, the debate about the balance between "security", "migration policy", and "openness to the world" will continue to intensify, especially when the stake is an event on the scale of the 2026 World Cup.