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Iraqi fan's World Cup dream collapses over visa barriers
Abdulla Adnan spent $1,800 on tickets and a trip to Jordan, only to be turned away at the U.S. embassy because he was not a Jordanian citizen. Iraq's consular services remain suspended in Baghdad, leaving fans with no local route to apply.
Travel bans and high rejection rates hit 11 nations
BBC analysis of U.S. State Department data shows that citizens from 11 of the 48 World Cup qualifiers face visa rejection rates above 40 %. The list includes Ecuador, Egypt, Haiti, Algeria, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and Senegal.
The global average for B1/B2 tourist visa refusals stands at 34 % for the year ending September 2025.
Trump-era policies tighten access
Four World Cup teams-Iran, Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast-are on President Trump's restricted visa list. Citizens of these countries are barred from the visitor visas recommended for fans. The U.S. also dropped a $15,000 deposit requirement for Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia in May, provided applicants hold valid World Cup tickets.
"It's a form of segregation that doesn't dare speak its name. No European country has faced this kind of restriction. Why Africa?"
Julien Kouadio Adonis, Ivory Coast fan association
Fifa Pass speeds interviews but fails to boost approvals
Fifa introduced a priority system to fast-track visa interviews for ticket holders. Immigration lawyer Celine Atallah calls it "a positive step," yet notes it does not improve approval odds. "The visa system is the invisible gatekeeper of the World Cup," she says. "Fifa can sell a ticket, but the U.S. government decides who gets a visa, and border officials decide who actually enters."
Canada and Mexico offer alternatives, yet gaps remain
Canada requires biometric scans, but lacks facilities in Iran and Cape Verde. Its overall 2025 refusal rate is 54 %. Mexico has no diplomatic presence in eight World Cup nations, forcing fans to travel elsewhere to apply.
Neither country has issued travel bans, although Canada recently imposed entry restrictions on nations affected by the Ebola outbreak, including Democratic Republic of the Congo.
State Department defends vetting process
A spokesman said the administration is "prepared to welcome visitors from around the globe" and that most fans qualify for visa-free travel or already hold visas. Each application is "adjudicated on a case-by-case basis after rigorous review and thorough vetting to determine eligibility under U.S. law."
The Department of Homeland Security reported over 538,000 visa overstays between October 2023 and September 2024, citing concerns about undocumented migration.
Fan associations abandon plans
Jordan's fan association head, Abu Kass, says no supporter he knows has secured a visa. After submitting 42 documents, his own application was refused without explanation. "This World Cup is not ours," he says. "It's not for Arabs this World Cup."
The Ivory Coast association canceled its travel plans, calling ticket prices "exorbitant" and arguing that a host country unwilling to welcome qualifying teams should not stage the tournament.
