{"id":30790,"date":"2026-05-17T16:16:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T20:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=30790"},"modified":"2026-05-17T16:16:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T20:16:25","slug":"african-fans-face-world-cup-attendance-issues-despite-usa-visa-bond-u-turn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2026\/05\/17\/african-fans-face-world-cup-attendance-issues-despite-usa-visa-bond-u-turn\/","title":{"rendered":"African fans face World Cup attendance issues despite USA visa bond U-turn"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-oyhass-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-wp3qt-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><b class=\"ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Fans from five African nations heading to the United States for the 2026 Fifa World Cup just got a potential $15,000 (\u00a311,100) reprieve &#8211; provided they already have a match ticket for the finals.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Late on Wednesday, the Trump administration confirmed that ticket-holding supporters from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-1fqyhkk-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c392dj4xwy4o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">will be exempt from the requirement to post a visa deposit.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The five were among 50 countries swept up in the requirement, introduced last year, which is intended to reduce visa overstays and was part of a wider immigration crackdown by the White House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">With 78 of the 104 games at this year&#8217;s World Cup taking place on American soil, the climbdown matters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But for Africans plotting a trip to a tournament spread across the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July, plenty of obstacles remain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"subheadline\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18pjzom-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"subheadline\">\n<h2 id=\"What-has-changed\" class=\"ssrcss-14nh10q-Heading e10rt3ze0\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">What has changed?<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-oyhass-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-wp3qt-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The sums required for a visa bond range from $5,000 (\u00a33,700) to $15,000.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets,&#8221; US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar said in a statement to the BBC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">However, it comes with a caveat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">In order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered with the online Fifa Pass system by 15 April.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">That system, announced last November, is intended to help ticket-holders get expedited visa appointments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"links\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-oyhass-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<ul class=\"ssrcss-94r6ik-Stack e1y4nx260\" role=\"list\">\n<li class=\"ssrcss-wkzika-LinkItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0s6gx-LinkHeadline e3eyuya4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/articles\/c2051p7ej1vo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">Trump&#8217;s foreign policy and what it might mean for the World Cup<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ssrcss-wkzika-LinkItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1gccci3-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0s6gx-LinkHeadline e3eyuya4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/articles\/cp37kpqpdq2o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">Which countries&#8217; fans are banned from US World Cup games?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"subheadline\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18pjzom-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"subheadline\">\n<h2 id=\"Who-still-misses-out\" class=\"ssrcss-14nh10q-Heading e10rt3ze0\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">Who still misses out?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-oyhass-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"rich-text\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-wp3qt-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Fifa said the announcement about the visa bond being waived demonstrates its ongoing collaboration with the White House &#8220;to deliver a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But this news may come too late for many hoping to make the trip and see their side in action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">It is not clear if anyone from the five African countries who buys a last-minute match ticket will need to pay the visa deposit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">And travellers from Ivory Coast and Senegal still face partial restrictions under the Trump administration&#8217;s ongoing travel ban.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Supporters from those two West African countries who did not secure their visa before December will not be granted a visitor visa to travel to the US.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Meanwhile, even people from countries not affected by the bond requirements are still experiencing difficulties in securing their passage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">BBC Sport Africa understands some Ghanaians, who hope to see their team play in Boston and Philadelphia, have been denied US entry visas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-vxwoax-ComponentWrapper e1aon0op1\" data-block=\"subheadline\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18pjzom-Spacer e1aon0op0\">\n<div data-testid=\"subheadline\">\n<h2 id=\"Other-hurdles-for-African-fans\" class=\"ssrcss-14nh10q-Heading e10rt3ze0\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span role=\"text\">Other hurdles for African fans<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_30791\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30791\" style=\"width: 525px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Egypt-soccer-fans-AFP.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-30791\" src=\"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Egypt-soccer-fans-AFP.jpg\" alt=\"Egypt fans\" width=\"525\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Egypt-soccer-fans-AFP.jpg 525w, https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Egypt-soccer-fans-AFP-300x206.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-30791\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Egypt fans, aiming to back their side at the World Cup for the first time since 2018, will need visas to enter Canada and the USA (Image: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The cost of flights, accommodation and internal transit is an immediate issue for those intending to travel from the continent.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">With the tournament taking place in three different countries, the majority of African fans will need to cross international borders during the group stage &#8211; with only Algeria, Cape Verde and Morocco based in the USA for the entirety of the group stage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Fans from Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal all need visas to enter Canada for games in Toronto or Vancouver, with DR Congo, South Africa and Tunisia playing at least one match in Mexico.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Then come the price of tickets, which are sky-high.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Some $600 (\u00a3444) seats were available for Egypt&#8217;s game against Belgium via Fifa&#8217;s official site on Thursday, but those were the only ones on the market under $1,170 (\u00a3866) for any of the first 10 games featuring an African side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The few tickets still available for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa are on sale for $3,840 (\u00a32,840).<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But Fifa&#8217;s resale platform features vastly inflated prices &#8211; with two category three tickets, in the top tier of the stadium hosting that first match in Mexico City, being offered for a staggering $34,500 (\u00a325,550) each.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Late last year, the US government also announced that tourists from dozens of countries could be required to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry &#8211; another immigration policy that could affect visitors during the World Cup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Rights groups have\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-1fqyhkk-InlineLink e1kn3p7n0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/articles\/ce3d69wngevo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">warned travellers<\/a>\u00a0that such policies could lead to denied entry, arrest risks, expanded travel restrictions, social media screening, racial profiling and increased surveillance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A record 10 African sides will take part in the finals, but those hoping to cheer their team on in person will need deep pockets.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/articles\/cevp2lz3zx7o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">Fans from five African nations heading to the United States for the 2026 Fifa World Cup just got a potential $15,000 (\u00a311,100) reprieve &#8211; provided they already have a match ticket for the finals. Late <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2026\/05\/17\/african-fans-face-world-cup-attendance-issues-despite-usa-visa-bond-u-turn\/\" title=\"African fans face World Cup attendance issues despite USA visa bond U-turn\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[6193,565,45,12529,697,12532,12518,10487,2754,92,1618,160,9041,977,257,2322,12533,12531,12530,2003],"class_list":{"0":"post-30790","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-world","9":"tag-algeria","10":"tag-boston","11":"tag-canada","12":"tag-cape-verde","13":"tag-egypt","14":"tag-fifa-pass-system","15":"tag-fifa-world-cup","16":"tag-ghana","17":"tag-ivory-coast","18":"tag-mexico","19":"tag-morocco","20":"tag-philadelphia","21":"tag-senegal","22":"tag-south-africa","23":"tag-toronto","24":"tag-tunisia","25":"tag-usa-visa-appointments","26":"tag-usa-visa-bond","27":"tag-usa-visa-deposit","28":"tag-vancouver","29":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30790"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30790\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30793,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30790\/revisions\/30793"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}