Gianni Infantino, The FIFA president visited the White House this week to announce an initiative with Donald Trump that will give World Cup ticket holders next year priority in the U.S. visa process. This initiative is called “FIFA Pass”.
“FIFA Pass is a priority appointment scheduling system,” Infantino said from the Oval Office. “So if you have tickets to the World Cup, you can make a priority appointment to get your visa. Because, you said it when we first met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world.”
Despite heavy travel restrictions imposed by the US government during Trump’s second term, the FIFA chief estimated that 5 to 10 million people from around the world are expected to visit the country. “With this FIFA Pass we can ensure that those who buy tickets and are legitimate football fans can come to attend the World Cup in the best possible conditions, from the moment they receive their visas.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was also present at the press conference, said, “We’re going to investigate like anyone else would.” “The only difference here is that we’re moving them up the queue.”
In other words, having a ticket to go to the World Cup does not actually guarantee you a visa, nor reduce the fees that must be paid. This reduces the waiting time for your interview with the consular officer. Rubio estimated that FIFA Pass holders can expect to wait six to eight weeks for that interview.
How does FIFA Pass work?
To use this privilege, you must first purchase tickets through official channels to attend some of the 2026 World Cup matches played in the United States. Then, the user must enter the FIFA portal, which will indicate the steps to follow to proceed with the visa application.
Rubio said the State Department has dispatched more than 400 additional consular officers around the world to expedite these processes in response to anticipated increased demand for tourist visas, and said it is possible to get an appointment within 60 days at 80 percent of consulates and embassies.
A few minutes later, at the same press conference, Trump indicated that he was ready to launch attacks against Mexico and Colombia to stop drug trafficking, and still did not rule out the option of deploying troops on Venezuelan territory.
This story originally appeared in WIRED en Español and is translated from Spanish.