Concerns have increased that a lot of people might not be eligible to come to the 2026 men’s World Cup in the United States after it’s taking too long to get visas.
With the World Cup in the US approaching, concerns have been raised that visa delays could potentially prevent many persons from this event, VisaGuide.World reports.
The tournament begins in 777 days. However, many countries won’t know if they qualify for at least another 18 months. In two Mexican cities, the wait time for US visa interviews is already over 800 days, while in Bogota, Colombia, it is 685 days.
Last month, travel industry experts at the US Travel Association’s yearly Destination Capitol Hill conference discussed concerns that a large number of FIFA World Cup fans might miss out on attending the tournament in the US if they are ineligible to get a visitor visa.
The World Cup is maybe 800 days away. With Colombia, that’s a real concern because right now the average wait time for that particular market is around 725 days.
The United States will share hosting duties with Mexico and Canada for the FIFA World Cup 2026. In addition, Atlanta, Dallas, New York and nine other cities will host the US games.
In this regard, the executive vice president of public affairs and policy for the US Travel Association, Tori Barnes, told Skift that the majority of international travelers who visit a World Cup game usually return to the host country.
The United States Travel estimates that first-time visa wait times are more than 400 days on average for the country’s top source markets, with the US State Department prioritizing reducing long wait times.
World Cup 20026 is expected to contribute significantly to the tourism sector in North America as well. The tournament is set to feature a total of 48 teams across a total of 16 cities in the US, Canada as well as Mexico, thus bringing new opportunities for cultural exchange as well as economic growth through the tourism industry.
Besides, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and New York City both agreed to provide free public transportation to matches and fan events in the 2018 contract. Such an announcement was unexpected, in particular considering the recent budget decision that will increase NJ Transit fares by 21 per cent before the FIFA World Cup final.
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