Trump administration waives visa bonuses for World Cup ticket holders

Citizens of a select group of countries who have purchased tickets to this summer’s World Cup matches in the United States will no longer have to provide thousands of dollars in visa vouchers to enter the country and attend the tournament.

On Wednesday, the State Department confirmed that the Trump administration is waiving a previous mandate that required visitors from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia to pay visa bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States.

The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries it said had high rates of visa overstays and other security concerns as part of a broader immigration crackdown. Travelers from at least 50 countries are subject to the bond requirement, but teams from the five aforementioned nations have qualified for this year’s World Cup.

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Players, coaches and some staff of World Cup teams had already been exempt from the bond requirement as part of the administration’s orders to prioritize visa processing for the tournament.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE FIFA PASS FOR FOREIGN SOCCER FANS LOOKING TO ATTEND THE WORLD CUP IN THE USA.

“The United States is excited to host the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history,” said Undersecretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar. “We are waiving visa vouchers for qualified fans who purchased World Cup tickets” and opted for the FIFA Pass system that allows for expedited visa appointments starting April 15.

In its own statement, FIFA said the announcement shows “our continued collaboration with the US government and the White House task force to make the FIFA World Cup a successful, unforgettable and unprecedented global event” and thanked the administration for the partnership.

President Donald Trump draws the United States card during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025. (Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images)

However, the administration has banned travelers from Iran and Haiti, although World Cup players, coaches and other support staff are exempt. Travelers from Ivory Coast and Senegal face partial restrictions under an expanded version of that travel ban, even without the visa bond waiver.

The World Cup begins on June 11 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Some actions by the administration led Amnesty International and dozens of American civil and human rights groups to issue a “World Cup travel advisory” warning travelers about the weather in the US.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA World Cup Winners’ Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, August 22, 2025. (Jacquelyn Martín/AP)

In a report this month, the leading American hotel advocacy group blamed visa barriers and other geopolitical issues for “significantly suppressing international demand,” leading to hotel bookings for the soccer tournament falling far short of what was initially anticipated.

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In early April, the number of World Cup fans affected by the bail requirement was believed to be relatively small, perhaps only about 250 people, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. But they said that number was changing rapidly as more people buy tickets and some ticket holders choose not to travel.

FIFA had requested the waiver, which had to be approved by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, officials said.