Argentine football fans rejoice: World Cup ticket holders to get priority US visa interviews

Argentine football fans got a bit of unexpected good news on Monday via an announcement made by United States President Donald Trump: those who have already bought tickets for the 2026 World Cup in the United States are now eligible for a prioritized visa appointment to enter the country via a new system called FIFA PASS.  The decision is part of an agreement between FIFA and the U.S. It is applicable to citizens of all countries that require visas to enter the United States. The 2026 World Cup will be held jointly in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the majority of matches set to be played in the U.S. (11 cities will host games of the tournament). Argentine citizens need a visa to enter the United States. Successfully passing the interview and obtaining a U.S. visa means they will also be able to enter Canada, which also requires a visa. Mexico does not require Argentines to get a visa to enter the country for tourism purposes. Getting a U.S. visa in Argentina can often take months, mainly due to the difficulty of getting a visa interview appointment due to high demand.  The expedited visa interview system is called FIFA PASS — the initials for Priority Appointment Scheduling System. In order to gain access, fans should first buy a FIFA World Cup ticket for a match scheduled to be held in the U.S. at the organization’s official website. “For those who intend to join us for the World Cup, I strongly encourage you to apply right away,” Trump said during the White House announcement. State Secretary Marco Rubio insisted that those who have tickets should apply for a visa interview as soon as possible. “Don’t wait until the last minute. Your ticket is not a visa, it doesn’t guarantee admission into the U.S. It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’re still going to go through the same vetting as anybody else. The only difference here is that we’re moving them up in the queue.” Rubio estimated that ticket holders that apply for a FIFA PASS could get an interview appointment “within six to eight weeks.” According to Trump, getting a U.S. travel visa “would often take a year” before he took office, but the waiting time has been reduced to “less than a year” in 80% of the world since then. He went on to say that the goal is to “ensure that soccer fans from all around the world are properly vetted and able to come to the United States next summer easily.” “With this FIFA PASS, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, that are legitimate football or soccer fans can attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa,” Infantino said. Infantino said estimated sales are between 6 and 7 million tickets, and 5 to 10 million people are expected to travel to the U.S. to enjoy the event. Cover photo credit: FIFA