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President Donald Trump hosted another meeting of the White House task force on FIFA ahead of next year’s World Cup in North America, and a new initiative will be implemented for ticketholders entering the United States.
The FIFA task force announced a new system that would allow World Cup ticketholders to receive priority interviews to obtain visas.
Trump spoke about what is being called the FIFA Pass while standing alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino. While announcing the Prioritized Appointment Scheduling System, Trump also noted that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have been working “tirelessly” to “ensure that soccer fans from all around the world are properly vetted and able to come to the United States next summer easily.”
“I’ve directed my administration to do everything within the power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success. I think it’s going to be the greatest, and we are setting records on ticket sales,” Trump added.
Infantino added that FIFA expects “between five and 10 million people coming to America from… all over the world to enjoy the World Cup” next year.
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“With this FIFA Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket that are legitimate football fans, or soccer fans… they can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions – starting from getting their visa and then coming, of course, in the country to enjoy,” Infantino said in the Oval Office.
Trump strongly encouraged World Cup ticketholders from around the world to apply for their U.S. visas “right away.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present in the Oval Office, telling reporters that “over 400 additional consular officers” have been deployed to embassies around the world to handle World Cup – related visa requests.
“Our advice to everybody is: if you have a ticket for any of the games, you need to apply as soon as possible. If you haven’t done so as soon as possible, don’t wait until the last minute,” Rubio said. “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the U.S. It guarantees you an expedited appointment.”
The World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is expected to attract six billion viewers worldwide, according to Infantino. He also expects one billion people to watch the World Cup draw on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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