World Cup
World Cup Fans, Players And Officials Face $15,000 Visa Bonds to Enter U.S.
By Adam Crafton.
Fans from several countries participating in this summer’s World Cup must deposit up to $15,000 in bond payments to be granted a tourist visa to enter the United States, while organiser FIFA is privately pressing the Trump administration to make exemptions for players.
The difficulties have emerged as nationals from certain countries travelling to the U.S. on a business or tourist visa — known as B-1 and B-2 visas — have been subject to bond payments after policy changes by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The “Visa Bond Pilot Program” relates to 50 countries, five of which have qualified for the World Cup.
The policy has impacted nationals from Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal and the Ivory Coast since January 21 this year.
Last week, World Cup participants Tunisia were among the countries added to the list, which comes into effect from April 2.
Cape Verde — an archipelago of only 525,000 people — has qualified for the men’s World Cup for the first time in its history.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that all applicants, regardless of age, are subject to the same legal standards and must demonstrate they qualify for and intend to comply with the terms of a visa.
They added that those who depart the U.S. in a timely fashion before their visa expires will recover their money, while they also said the visa bond requirement is not retroactive and does not apply to holders of existing valid visas.
However, there is no wording outlined in the Visa Bond Pilot Program that grants immunity to athletes competing in major sporting events such as the World Cup.
Athletes who do not already have U.S. visas will largely apply for the B-1 or B-2 visas during the tournament, meaning they, too, could be asked to deposit bonds.
The State Department said that all visa applications will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis by officers.
The policy states that there is “no procedure” for applicants to apply for a waiver of the bond, but consular officers can determine whether a waiver “would advance a significant national interest or humanitarian interest based on the applicant’s purpose of travel and employment.”
When contacted by The Athletic this week, neither the State Department nor FIFA took the opportunity to rule out that players from the designated countries would be required to pay the bonds. FIFA declined to comment on all aspects of this report.
The situation is causing concern among the soccer federations of designated nations.
Sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic the matter was raised with FIFA at pre-World Cup preparation workshops that competing federations attended this month in Atlanta.
Fewer than 80 days out from the World Cup, FIFA is attempting to convince the Trump administration to waive the bonds for official members of a competing federation’s delegation, which would likely include players, coaches and support staff, as well as federation executives and possibly key personnel from sponsors.
Behind the scenes, FIFA is working on contingencies, with the organisation seeking to help the soccer teams of designated nations circumvent the bonds by supplying invitation letters for the official delegations of national federations competing at the World Cup.
FIFA wants these letters to act as a waiver for the bonds. According to sources close to the matter, the current expectation is that, if successful, this will extend only to players, staff and federation executives, but possibly not to the immediate relatives of players, who may be subject to the bonds.
When The Athletic asked the State Department about FIFA seeking to influence the U.S. government’s policies, a State Department spokesperson stressed that “rules, policies, and procedures for visa processing are set in Washington, D.C.,” before adding that the U.S. government “continues to engage robustly with FIFA in support of the largest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.”
While negotiations are ongoing over possible player exemptions for the visa bonds at the World Cup, it does not appear that any such privileges will be extended to fans.
For supporters from the impacted countries, the bonds add a huge financial burden on any trip to watch their team in the U.S. this summer, compounding the highly expensive World Cup tickets and hotels this summer.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly claimed this summer’s men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will be the “most inclusive” in the competition’s history.
Yet a national traveling from the impacted countries, who is deemed otherwise eligible for entry into the U.S., must now also have the means to post a bond of either $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, which may preclude or deter many from traveling at all.
The bond payments are per person, rather than per travelling party, meaning that a parent travelling with a child would have to make two separate bond payments.
Sources familiar with the process indicate that the $5,000 payments will be broadly reserved for children entering the country, with payments of $10,000 or $15,000 for adults.
A State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that America’s safety and border security “will always come first” and reiterated that nationals of designated countries would be required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 before a visa can be issued.
This would appear to be an issue for Algeria, Tunisia, and Cape Verde, with Senegal and the Ivory Coast designated for broader travel bans, which would limit travel in any case.
The State Department further claimed that the program “has proven effective in deterring illegal immigration and the Trump Administration is expanding it to additional countries based on a range of immigration risk factors, including high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations.”
FIFA has also been asked by impacted nations to ensure that the State Department provides B-1 or B-2 visas that offer multiple entries into the U.S.
This has become a challenge as the State Department has increasingly been providing single-entry business or tourist visas to nationals of designated countries, when equivalent visas previously offered multiple entries.
Federations, players and fans need multiple-access visas to the U.S. because some teams in the tournament will play in more than one country during the World Cup.
Ivory Coast, for example, have a group game in Toronto sandwiched between two games in Philadelphia, while Senegal’s final group-stage game is in Toronto, and they may need to return to the U.S. for knockout games.
Tunisia’s first two games will be in Mexico before their final group game in Kansas City. Algeria and Cape Verde’s group games are all within the U.S.
A State Department spokesperson said an applicant’s “individual circumstances” will be taken into account when a consular officer makes the final decision on whether to issue a single- or multiple-entry visa.
- The Athletic, New York Times
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As the intercontinental play-off begins this Thursday in Mexico, Suriname’s long-standing ambition of reaching the FIFA World Cup could finally become reality.
The Surinamese face Bolivia in Monterrey, with victory setting up a showdown against Iraq on Tuesday for a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Suriname came close to securing automatic qualification during the CONCACAF campaign but fell short on the final matchday after a defeat to Guatemala allowed Panama to edge them in their group.
That setback has now handed them a second opportunity through the play-offs, where only two teams will progress to the global finals.
Should they advance, Suriname will join a formidable Group I alongside France, Norway and Senegal.
Dutch Roots Shape Squad Identity
A major factor behind Suriname’s resurgence is its strong Dutch connection.
The country, a former Dutch colony, has long been linked to some of football’s greatest names, including Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Clarence Seedorf—all of whom trace their roots to Suriname.
Recent changes to nationality laws allowing dual citizenship have significantly strengthened the national team. Of the 26-man squad currently in Mexico, 22 players were born in the Netherlands, with several having represented Dutch youth teams.
Former Netherlands international Jean-Paul Boetius is among those who have switched allegiance, while striker Gleofilo Vlijter stands out as the only fully home-grown player in the squad.
The team is now under the guidance of Henk ten Cate, who takes charge for the first time in this Thursday’s crucial encounter.
Ten Cate, who previously worked with Ajax Amsterdam, believes qualification would represent both a sporting and cultural milestone.
“It would really be a fantastic compliment for Dutch football training if we qualify,” he said, adding that success would spark celebrations both in Suriname and among diaspora communities.
Despite the challenge ahead, Ten Cate remains confident his side can make history.
“Suriname at the World Cup … it would be a dream come true. We are going for it,” he said.
For a nation that has often watched the World Cup through the achievements of players representing the Netherlands, this play-off campaign offers a rare chance to step onto football’s biggest stage in its own right.
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Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, will face a tightly guarded Iranian side in Friday’s international friendly, as their opponents continue preparations under strict media control in Turkey.
The Iranian national team held a closed training session on Wednesday in Belek, near Antalya, limiting media access as they intensify preparations for upcoming friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica.
Officials within the Iranian camp have deliberately reduced public exposure, citing the need to avoid distractions amid heightened political tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The friendly against the Super Eagles is expected to be a key test for Iran ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Originally scheduled to take place in Jordan, the matches were relocated to Turkey due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Despite the restricted media access, reports from the training ground indicate a relaxed atmosphere among the Iranian players, who were seen engaging in light moments during the session.
Off-Field Issues in Iranian Camp
Iran’s preparations have not been without controversy. Forward Mehdi Taremi has drawn attention following a recent club incident involving an Israeli opponent, while experienced striker Sardar Azmoun has been left out of the squad.
Iranian media reports suggest Azmoun’s omission may be linked to a social media post considered politically sensitive, despite his impressive international record of 57 goals in 91 appearances.
World Cup Concerns
Iran’s football federation has also raised concerns over player safety ahead of the World Cup, with discussions ongoing with FIFA regarding the possibility of relocating their matches from the United States to Mexico.
For Nigeria, the friendly presents an opportunity to test tactical options and assess squad depth against a team expected to face significant global scrutiny in the build-up to the tournament.
Friday’s encounter in Antalya will offer an early glimpse into both sides’ readiness as preparations gather pace for football’s biggest stage.
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By Kunle Solaja.
The race for the final places at the FIFA World Cup 2026 enters its decisive phase this week, with six nations set to compete in the intercontinental play-off tournament beginning on 26 March.
Bolivia, DR Congo, Jamaica, Iraq, New Caledonia and Suriname will battle for just two remaining tickets to the expanded 48-team global finals, bringing years of qualification campaigns down to a handful of decisive matches.
The tournament will be staged in Mexico, with matches played at Guadalajara and Monterrey, where semi-finals will take place on 26 March before the finals on 31 March.
Pathway One: DR Congo Await Opponent
In Guadalajara, New Caledonia face Jamaica in the opening semi-final, with the winner advancing to meet DR Congo in the decisive clash.
For DR Congo, this represents a chance to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed as Zaire. Their journey to this stage has been remarkable, having eliminated continental heavyweights Cameroon and Nigeria in African qualifying.
Jamaica, seeking a first World Cup appearance since France 1998, will rely on the attacking threat of players such as Leon Bailey, while New Caledonia are chasing a historic debut on the global stage.
The winner of this pathway will advance to a challenging group featuring Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan at the World Cup.
Pathway Two: Bolivia, Iraq Eye Return
In Monterrey, Bolivia take on Suriname in the second semi-final, with Iraq awaiting the winner in the final.
Bolivia, who last appeared at the World Cup in 1994, are aiming for a return after an encouraging qualifying campaign that included a notable victory over Brazil.
Suriname, meanwhile, are targeting a historic first qualification, having already reached unprecedented heights by making the play-off tournament.
Iraq, bidding for their first World Cup appearance since 1986, progressed dramatically through Asian qualifying and will be confident of finishing the job in Mexico.
The successful team from this pathway will move into a formidable group alongside France, Norway and Senegal.
Dreams on the Line
For all six teams, the play-off tournament represents a final opportunity to turn years of effort into World Cup qualification.
While nations such as DR Congo, Iraq and Bolivia seek long-awaited returns, New Caledonia and Suriname are chasing history with potential maiden appearances.
With only two places available, the margin for error is nonexistent, making the Mexico showdowns a high-stakes climax to the global qualifying campaign.
By the end of March, two nations will celebrate entry onto football’s biggest stage, while four others will see their World Cup dreams come to an end.
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