US Removes Visa Bond for African Fans at 2026 World Cup

The United States has announced the removal of the visa bond requirement for fans from five African nations—Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia—who wish to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Previously, these fans faced mandatory visa deposits ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 due to US immigration measures aimed at addressing visa overstays.

Mora Namdar, a representative from the US State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, confirmed that fans from these nations have already acquired World Cup match tickets and completed FIFA pass registration via the official FIFA pass web application by April 15. While this development alleviates some concerns for thousands of African fans, challenges persist, including partial entry restrictions for fans from Ivory Coast and Senegal, which have led to visa application rejections.

Additionally, the high costs of travel and accommodation remain significant hurdles, with World Cup match seats priced at thousands of dollars on FIFA's resale platform.