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Influencers who cover World Cup 2026 In the United States, you will not be able to create monetized content on social media without a work visa, according to a joint statement from Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security. The move could impact FIFA’s broadcast strategy, which includes agreements with several international creators Tik Tok and YouTube.
In a statement to Country“Coming to the United States for the sole purpose of creating content (as an influencer) and thus generating revenue from the United States while in the country is considered employment and requires the appropriate visa,” CBP and the Department of Homeland Security said. The statement specifies that those who do not have a work visa and are earning income could violate the terms of their immigration status.
The 2026 World Cup is expected to become one of the biggest sporting events of the year and is also very popular among social media influencers. The United States will host 78 of the 104 scheduled matches, distributed among 11 host cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta and San Francisco.
A He studies Estimates of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the World Trade Organization indicate that about 6.5 million people will attend the tournament matches in the host countries. The United States will account for more than half of that number, with about 3.7 million people attending, many of them foreigners.
In recent months, FIFA has announced agreements with platforms such as TikTok and YouTube to expand the reach of the tournament on social media. The deals include the participation of dozens of international influencers who, according to YouTube, will have unprecedented access to matches and activities related to the World Cup.
“They won’t just be reactionary to the game, they will bring a fresh perspective to the FIFA World Cup including human stories, tactical breakdowns and behind-the-scenes events that bring the legendary tournament to life as it unfolds,” said YouTube’s Global Head of Media and Sports, Justin Connolly, books on the video-sharing platform’s blog earlier this year.
In the case of TikTok, the agreement with FIFA includes the participation of 30 content creators from 11 countries and 22 cities on four continents. creative people, according to A statement released by the company in May said, “Representing football fans from everywhere, reflecting the diversity of voices and perspectives that define the game, expanding tournament discovery to include fans wherever they are, in the languages and formats that resonate most.”
It remains unclear whether influencers included in these programs have the necessary documentation to engage in paid activities in the United States.
For creatives who do not have a work visa, a possible alternative is the O-1 visa, which is reserved for people with “exceptional ability” in fields such as the arts, business, science or sports. Unlike B1/B2 tourist or business visaThis visa permits, under certain conditions, professional activities on US soil for remuneration, including business collaborations, promotional tours, and content production for profit.
Questions remain about how to verify that foreign influencers have the appropriate visa to perform their work. It is also unclear under what conditions these regulations will be applied. The El Pais report indicates that US authorities plan to strengthen inspections at airports and border crossings, in addition to monitoring the digital activity of content creators suspected of violating immigration rules.
This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.
