Good news for the FIFA World Cup fans and ticket holders, as their visa process will be fast-tracked.
United States President Donald Trump on Monday, November 17, unveiled the FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System, or FIFA PASS, for the 2026 World Cup fans during a press conference in the Oval Office with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
During the news conference the Republican president said that he has directed his administration to do everything in their power to make the upcoming World Cup in the US an unprecedented success, reported Sky News.
Under the FIFA PASS, ticketholders will be able to get interviews for the visas more quickly.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that the administration has added 400 consular officers globally to handle the surge in the visa applications ahead of the World Cup, adding that in around 80% of the world, visa applicants could get a visa appointment within 60 days.
Under the new system people who have purchased tickets for the matches will be required to go through a "FIFA portal" to prioritise their visa application and interview at the State Department.
Infantino said, "America welcomes the world. We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history – and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that."
"The United States is set to welcome fans from around the world on an unprecedented scale, and we are preparing to ensure that football unites the world when the tournament kicks off in North America next June,” he added.
Notably, more than six million tickets will be available for the football fans for the 104 World Cup games in the 16 cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
