The Trump administration has suspended a requirement that would have forced visitors from five African World Cup-qualified countries to pay a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States for the tournament. The waiver applies to fans holding valid World Cup tickets who opt into the Fifa Pass system for expedited visa appointments.
The bond requirement, imposed last year as part of a broader immigration crackdown, targeted countries with high rates of visa overstays and security issues. The five affected nations are Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia. Players, coaches and some staff were already exempt, but ordinary fans were not until now.
Mora Namdar, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, announced the waiver on Wednesday, saying the US is “excited to organize the biggest and best Fifa World Cup in history.” The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, begins on 11 June.
The move is a rare loosening of immigration rules under the administration, which has faced criticism for policies seen as at odds with the World Cup’s unifying message. Critics point to travel bans on Iran and Haiti, social media checks, and ICE deployments at airports. Amnesty International and other groups have issued a “World Cup travel advisory” warning about the US climate.
The American Hotel + Lodging Association has blamed visa barriers for suppressing international demand, with hotel bookings far below expectations. As of early April, only about 250 fans were affected by the bond requirement, though that number was changing rapidly. Fifa had requested the waiver, and it was discussed at multiple Washington meetings over several months.
