As the 2026 World Cup approaches, concerns are on the horizon about whether millions of foreign visitors will be able to get visas to come to the United States.
The State Department shut down foreign offices around the world during the COVID pandemic and still has not fully restaffed them. The current wait time to get a visa is up to two years in some countries.
David Bier, immigration specialist with the Cato Institute, said the long delays could cause serious hurdles for fans hoping to attend the games in Los Angeles.
“In certain countries, you'll get denied because you're saying ‘I'm gonna go visit the World Cup,’ but hey, you don't have tickets [yet], so how do I know that you're really planning to go to the World Cup and not do something else?” he said.
Fewer attendees could mean a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in L.A., and over a billion dollars across the U.S.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
FIFA is confident the problems can be avoided due to agreements signed with the U.S. in granting the World Cup rights, but it remains to be seen what will happen given tougher immigration policies under the Trump administration.
A State Department spokesperson says they'll do their best to reduce visa delays, but they haven't indicated how they plan to do that.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
