World Cup dreams collide with visa barriers, rising costs

PETALING JAYA: For many supporters, the World Cup represents the pinnacle of footballing emotion — a rare chance to see their country on the global stage and experience the atmosphere in person.

But with the 2026 edition fast approaching, that dream has been complicated by two powerful forces: soaring ticket prices and strict US immigration rules.

Football commentator Bob Holmes said fans have been squeezed at both ends, with FIFA’s pricing model and US entry policies combining to make attendance unrealistic for many supporters, especially those from emerging football nations.

“I think both Fifa and the US are responsible for this,” Holmes said in an interview with FMT.

Now expanded to 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup, hosted jointly by the US, Canada and Mexico, will be the largest in history. Yet, Holmes says that expansion has created expectations that, for many fans, will not be met.

“These fans thought they were going to be there and they’ve been saving up, mortgaging their houses, giving up their jobs and all that sort of thing,” he said.

Visa barriers

For some supporters, the first hurdle is not financial but administrative.

A BBC investigation found that fans from more than a quarter of qualified countries face travel bans, strict visa requirements or high rejection rates when applying to enter the US.

The issue has even affected match officials, with Somalian referee Omar Artan denied entry at the Miami International Airport earlier this week despite possessing valid documentation.

Fifa, bending its knee to US President Donald Trump, could do nothing more than confirm that Africa’s 2025 referee of the year would miss the tournament.

Somalia is one of several countries affected by severe immigration restrictions introduced by Trump’s hardline regime.

Paid up, shut out

For supporters, the issue is less about policy and more about missing the chance to witness their teams compete.

Iraqi fan Abdulla Adnan, believing he was on a once-in-a-lifetime journey after Iraq qualified for only the second time ever to the World Cup, spent US$1,800 on tickets to matches in Boston and Philadelphia.

“To go to a match, a stadium, a crowd, cheering, and see my team, that is worth the world to me,” he told the BBC.

But securing a visa has proved impossible. With US consular services in Iraq limited, Adnan travelled to Jordan to apply, only to be turned away because he was not a Jordanian citizen. He gave up.

His case reflects a wider pattern. A BBC analysis showed that as many as 40% of applicants from 11 competing countries have had their applications rejected, including Ghana, Algeria, Iran, Haiti, Cape Verde and Senegal, which experienced a 70% rejection rate.

Jordanian Abu Kass, describing his own failed attempt, was quoted as saying: “I took more than 42 documents. They’ve been rejecting people over the past three to four months. I don’t know of a single supporter who has received a visa.”

Filtered access

Forty-two nations benefit from visa-free travel under the US visa waiver programme — although none from Africa.

US authorities argue the system is necessary to manage security risks. Its State Department insists that each application is assessed individually and that it remains “prepared to welcome visitors from around the globe.”

However, even securing a visa may not be enough, as border officials retain final discretion at the country’s arrival points.

Critics say the process creates uncertainty and compels fans to commit financially without knowing the outcome even upon arrival on US soil.

High cost of being there

Beyond immigration hurdles, supporters must contend with escalating costs once inside the tournament.

Fifa’s pricing model is expected to follow a dynamic structure, with prices varying by demand, match stage and seating category.

Group-stage tickets may be relatively affordable, but prices for knockout rounds escalate sharply, with premium seats reaching thousands of dollars. According to the Economic Times, a ticket to the final costs US$10,990 (almost RM45,000).

The cost of accommodation, meals, domestic flights across the North American continent, and transportation to match venues represent another major expense that will set travelling fans back substantially.

Double whammy for supporters

Holmes said supporters are bound to be hit by “a double whammy — from Fifa with the (ticket) prices, and America with (its) immigration rules.”

“On the one hand they fear being arrested by going to America and on the other hand, even if they were reassured, they couldn’t afford the ticket anyway,” he said.

Still, Holmes sees a silver lining for die-hard fans, with the new, expanded tournament format giving smaller nations, including Cape Verde and Haiti, hope of qualifying again.

“They made it once and they can make it again,” he said.

Morocco, Portugal and Spain are co-hosts for the 2030 World Cup, with Saudi Arabia the venue for the 2034 edition. Maybe then, they will get to live their dream.