The 2026 FIFA World Cup may be set to become the biggest tournament in football history, but for many international fans, the United States is proving to be the hardest host country to reach.
Complicated visa procedures, strict immigration checks, security concerns, and extremely high travel costs are causing many overseas supporters to cancel plans or avoid U.S.-hosted matches altogether, raising concerns for FIFA and the American tourism industry ahead of the tournament.
The expanded World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is expected to attract around 40 million visitors and break the 1994 tournament record of 3.5 million tickets sold.
However, many fans say getting into the U.S. is becoming the biggest challenge.
Steve Schwarzbach, a German supporter who has attended every World Cup since 2006, said he plans to skip the U.S. matches despite already holding US$1,600 worth of tickets for the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Speaking to CNN, he said concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, social media screening, and the possibility of extra scrutiny due to his mixed German-Korean heritage pushed him to abandon the trip.
“I felt safer in South Africa and Brazil,” he said, noting those countries had strong visible security despite reputations for higher crime.
He is not alone.
A Dutch online petition calling for the national team to withdraw from the tournament has reportedly gathered 174,000 signatures, while a Facebook boycott group has attracted more than 25,000 members.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and leaders from German club St. Pauli have also expressed support for boycotts.
Visa access remains one of the biggest barriers.
For fans from countries such as India and Colombia, U.S. visa interview wait times reportedly range from 400 to 700 days, making World Cup travel planning nearly impossible unless they already hold valid visas or passport exemptions.
New entry security measures are adding further hesitation.
Some travelers are concerned about expanded border checks involving biometric data requests and social media reviews, with privacy concerns becoming a major issue for younger international visitors.
Omar Hassan, a software developer based in Montreal, said he is reselling his tickets for matches in Boston and New York after travel complications affected plans with his cousin from Tanzania, a country facing stricter U.S. entry restrictions.
Other fans are simply choosing different host countries.
English supporter Peter Holmes said he selected matches in Mexico instead of the United States, citing security concerns after a recent federal agent shooting in Minneapolis.
Still, not everyone is backing away.
Arjun Modhwadiam, a Canadian of Tanzanian descent, has already spent US$1,300 on tickets and booked flights and hotels for matches in Kansas.
He said his Canadian passport and low-profile online presence make him confident he will enter without problems, adding that the U.S. has too much financial interest in the tournament to mishandle visitors.
“I don’t think the U.S. government would be that stupid,” he told CNN.
Meanwhile, the hotel industry is watching closely.
Hotels in Dallas, Miami, and San Francisco have reportedly started lowering rates to attract bookings, while Houston saw June bookings rise 30%, though around 85% of those were domestic travelers rather than international guests.
Travel costs are another major obstacle.
Because matches are spread across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—with most games taking place in the U.S.—fans often face expensive domestic flights between cities thousands of kilometers apart. Traveling between host cities such as Seattle and Miami can involve distances of more than 5,000 kilometers.
Ticket prices themselves are also drawing criticism.
According to reports from AP and Al Jazeera, seats for the U.S. opening match against Paraguay on June 12 in California were listed between US$1,940 and US$4,105. Tickets for the final were priced at US$10,990, while semifinal tickets in Texas and Atlanta exceeded US$11,000 in some sections.
FIFA recently released new ticket blocks through its official platform, but slower sales for major matches suggest many fans are struggling to justify the cost.
For a tournament designed to unite global football supporters, many fear the 2026 World Cup risks becoming one of the least accessible for international fans—especially in the country hosting most of the games.
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.