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Gianni Infantino, The FIFA president visited the White House this week to announce an initiative with Donald Trump that would prioritize the World Cup World Cup Ticket holders next year to process a US visa. This initiative is called “FIFA Pass”.
“FIFA Pass is a priority appointment scheduling system,” Infantino said from the Oval Office. “So, if you have a World Cup ticket, you can get a scheduled visa appointment. Because you said so the first time we met, Mr. President, America welcomes the world.”
in spite of Heavy travel restrictions Mandated by the US government during Trump’s second term, the FIFA president estimated that between 5 and 10 million people from around the world were expected to arrive in the country. “With this FIFA Pass, we can ensure that those who purchase a ticket as legitimate football fans can attend the World Cup in the best condition, starting with obtaining their visa.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was also present at the press conference, said: “We will do the same scrutiny that anyone else would do.” “The only difference here is that we move them up the queue.”
In other words, getting a ticket to go to the World Cup does not actually guarantee you a visa, nor does it reduce the fees you have to pay. It simply reduces the waiting time for the interview with the consular officer. Rubio estimated that FIFA Pass holders can expect to wait six to eight weeks for that interview.
How does FIFA Pass work?
To obtain this privilege, you must first purchase a ticket through official channels to attend some of the 2026 World Cup matches that will be held in the United States. Next, the user must enter the FIFA portal, which will indicate the steps that must be followed to proceed with the visa application.
To speed up these procedures in the face of the expected increasing demand for tourist visas, Rubio indicated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent more than 400 additional consular employees around the world, and said that it is possible to obtain an appointment within 60 days in 80 percent of consulates and embassies.
Minutes later, in the same press conference, Trump indicated that he was ready to launch attacks against Mexico and Colombia to curb drug trafficking, and that the option of deploying forces on Venezuelan territory was not yet ruled out.
This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.