United States promises to expedite visa applications ahead of global show

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just over a year away, and the United States is ramping up efforts to ensure international fans can enter the country as smoothly as possible.

To that end, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee, where he pledged to double staffing levels for visa processing in an effort to shorten wait times and accommodate the expected surge in applications from abroad.

World Cup drives new visa initiatives

Having already hosted the 2024 Copa América, the US is preparing to welcome the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025, the World Cup itself in 2026, and then the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. With this unprecedented stretch of global sporting events, ensuring access and mobility for fans, athletes and staff has become a key focus.

In remarks reported by AFP, Rubio said: “We’re looking for ways to implement double shifts in some of our embassies around the world because of visa requirements. For example, if you haven’t yet applied for a visa from Colombia, you probably won’t get it in time for the World Cup unless we implement double shifts.”

At the same time, the administration under President Donald Trump is intensifying efforts to curb illegal immigration and deport undocumented migrants – meaning the visa approval process is under sharper scrutiny than ever.

AI to help processing

In a separate initiative, US embassies in multiple countries will begin using artificial intelligence to streamline visa renewals. Rubio also emphasized the importance of smooth travel for sports tourism linked to the World Cup and beyond: “We want it to be a success. It’s a priority for the president.”

This will be the second time the US hosts the men’s World Cup, after a landmark tournament in 1994 that broke attendance records, generated massive revenues and triggered a surge in domestic interest in the sport. For both Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, all eyes are on a smooth and successful rollout.

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