NEW YORK (Reuters) - The window to obtain a first-time U.S. visitor visa for the FIFA World Cup in 2026 is closing for some soccer fans, the U.S. Travel Association said at a press event this week, though the federal government says travelers still have time.
Visitor visa processing times have risen to 600 days for travelers in some countries, a big hurdle for fans who want to support one of the yet-to-be-determined 48 teams set to compete in the globally watched sporting event.
"If you don't have your visa today, you're not getting here for a World Cup that's taking place in 2026," Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive of the non-profit U.S. Travel Association told a group of reporters.
The U.S. State Department says the situation is not that dire, as it regularly assesses capacity and wait times in countries likely to play in the tournament, scheduled from June to July 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"While we encourage prospective FIFA World Cup visitors who will need U.S. visas to apply now, there is still plenty of time for fans to apply for their visas," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Travelers are waiting on average 260 days for an appointment to interview for a first-time visitor visa, Freeman said. Average wait times in Colombia are currently about 670 days, according to the association, which would mean those visitors would miss the tournament.
In Mexico, the average wait is 458 days, and travelers from India are facing waits of up to 404 days for an interview.
More than 30 million travelers hold valid U.S. tourist visas and therefore would not have a problem if they wanted to attend the event, the State Department said.
FIFA is working with the Canadian, Mexican and U.S. governments to ensure that those who need visas can get them, a spokesperson said.
(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Jamie Freed)
