With less than a month to the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Nigerians planning to attend the tournament in the United States may still face strict visa conditions as Washington maintains entry restrictions on some countries, including Nigeria.
The competition, scheduled for June 11 to July 19, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 48 countries participating in what FIFA has described as the largest World Cup ever organised.
Games will be played across several cities in North America, including Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Toronto, Vancouver, Mexico City and Monterrey, while the final match is billed for the New York/New Jersey stadium.
Despite expectations of massive international attendance, checks by our correspondent on Thursday on the U.S. Department of State website showed that Nigeria remains among countries affected by Presidential Proclamation 10998, which introduced limited entry measures from January 1, 2026.
The restriction comes as Nigeria will not feature at the tournament after failing to secure qualification following defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the qualifying series.
Although the Federal Government had earlier disclosed that discussions were ongoing with the United States over the visa policy, there has been no indication that the restrictions have been lifted ahead of the global football fiesta.
The situation is expected to affect some Nigerian supporters and sports reporters seeking to travel to the United States for the tournament, as visa issuance and admission remain subject to approval by US authorities.
President of the United States, Donald Trump, however, said the country was eager to host football fans from around the world during the competition.
“This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase the beauty and the greatness of America. And we can’t wait to welcome soccer fans from all over the globe,” Trump said.
The US Department of State advised intending visitors to begin visa processing early, noting that travellers must possess passports valid for at least six months beyond their intended stay in the country, except for nationals from exempt countries.
According to the guidance, citizens of countries under the Visa Waiver Programme may apply through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, while visitors from countries outside the programme, including Nigeria, must obtain B1/B2 visitor visas before travelling.
The US government also announced the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System, known as FIFA PASS, to assist fans who purchased tickets directly from FIFA to secure visa interview appointments before the start of the tournament.
Under the arrangement, applicants are expected to complete the DS-160 visa form, pay the required application fee and indicate that they are FIFA ticket holders when booking interview appointments.
The authorities, however, clarified that participation in the FIFA PASS scheme does not amount to automatic visa approval, as all applicants would still be subjected to regular immigration screening and eligibility checks before visas are granted.
