FIFA World Cup 2026: Visa and ETA Guide
Why World Cup 2026 Planning Starts With Travel Docs
After a 32-year wait, the FIFA World Cup is returning to North America. From 11 June to 19 July 2026, 48 teams will play across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It will be the largest World Cup ever staged—and also the first spread across three different immigration systems. That means every supporter, sponsor, journalist and hospitality guest must think about visas and electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) before snagging match tickets or locking in hotel points.
In this guide you will learn:
- The entry rules for each host country and how they interact during multi-city itineraries.
- Deadlines and fees for the US ESTA, Canadian eTA and Mexican visitor visas.
- Common edge cases—dual passports, land crossings, prior refusals—and how to avoid trip-ending surprises.
- Practical timelines and document checklists you can copy into your calendar today.
- How SimpleVisa’s API, widgets and white-label app can streamline group or corporate travel to the tournament.
Quick stat: In 2022 the United States denied boarding to 43,000 passengers because of visa issues (US CBP). Most hassles were avoidable with early authorisation checks.
1. Understanding the Three-Country Hosting Model
| Host Country | Tournament Cities | Primary Entry Scheme | Typical Authorisation Validity | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco | ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) or B-visitor visa | ESTA: 2 years – multiple entry 90 days per visit | Minutes to 72 h |
| Canada | Toronto, Vancouver | eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) | eTA: 5 years – multiple entry 6 months per visit | Minutes to 72 h |
| Mexico | Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey | FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) on arrival for visa-exempt nationals or visitor visa for others | Up to 180 days per visit | 1–15 days (online), up to 30 days (consular) |
Because fixtures are still being scheduled, many fans will bounce between countries. You must hold valid authorisation for each border you cross—even if your layover is a same-day flight.
2. United States: What to Know About ESTA and B-Visas
2.1 Who Is Eligible for ESTA?
Citizens of 41 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries—including the UK, Japan, Australia and most of the EU—can apply online for an ESTA instead of a full visa. If you hold passports from different countries, use the VWP passport for the fastest entry.
2.2 Key Requirements
- Biometric passport valid at least 6 months beyond departure.
- Online application via the official DHS portal.
- US $21 fee payable by card or PayPal.
- No previous ESTA overstay, significant criminal record or recent travel to restricted regions (Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, DPRK).
2.3 Timing and Best Practice
Apply as soon as your travel dates are roughly known—FIFA ticket ballots begin in late 2025, so submit your ESTA no later than March 2026. Last-minute approvals usually land within minutes, but system outages during peak demand are common.
If you are not eligible for ESTA—say you are from India, Nigeria or China—you need a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Embassy waits can exceed 100 days in some regions, so start the DS-160 process in late 2024.
Internal reading: How long is a USA Electronic Visa valid?
3. Canada: eTA Rules for 2026
3.1 eTA vs. Visa
Most visitors arriving by air need an eTA, unless they already hold a Canadian visa or US Green Card. Overland arrivals from the US are exempt from eTA but still require valid passports.
3.2 Fast Facts
- Fee: CAD $7 (about US $5).
- Valid for 5 years or until passport expiry.
- Allows multiple stays of up to 180 days each.
- Processing: instant to 72 hours; secondary document requests can stretch timelines.
Plan to apply at least two weeks before your flight to account for any email bounce or document resubmission.
Pro tip: If your itinerary starts in Vancouver, consider booking a connecting flight to a US host city after clearing Canadian immigration. It often avoids US customs queues at Canadian pre-clearance airports.
4. Mexico: Visitor Visas, FMMs and the New Electronic Authorisation
Mexico operates a broad visa-exemption list covering the US, Canada, EU, UK, Japan and many others. Eligible travelers fill out the FMM form (often distributed in-flight or online) and receive a 180-day stamp on arrival.
4.1 When You Need a Visa
If your nationality is not on the exempt list, you must secure a Mexican visitor visa in advance unless you hold a valid US, Canadian, Schengen or UK visa. In 2024 Mexico introduced an Electronic Visitor Visa (VIVIS) pilot for select countries—approval times average 3–7 days online, compared with weeks for consular appointments.
4.2 Stadium Entry Tip
Keep the bottom half of your FMM card. Authorities collect it on departure, and replacement lines at the airport can stretch longer than VAR reviews.
5. Multi-Country Itinerary Scenarios
5.1 Sample West-Coast Route
- Fly to Vancouver (Group Stage) ➜ Seattle or San Francisco (Round of 32) ➜ Guadalajara (Quarter-final).
- Needed docs: eTA (Canada), ESTA (USA), FMM or Mexican visa if non-exempt.
- Recommended order: Apply eTA and ESTA first. Mexican electronic visa can wait until fixtures are confirmed because validity starts on approval date.
5.2 The 72-Hour Rule Confusion
ESTA permits transit through the US regardless of stay length, yet Canadian eTA holders landing in Toronto for a same-day US connection still need ESTA. Planeside denial stories after long-haul flights are every border-agent’s cautionary tale.
5.3 Land Borders Are Still Borders
Driving from New York to Toronto or from Dallas to Monterrey? Present the same documents at land checkpoints. Electronic authorisations remain linked to your passport chip; officers will scan and verify them.
6. Common Edge Cases and How to Resolve Them
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| Dual citizen with one VWP passport and one non-VWP passport | Travel exclusively on the VWP passport. Keep the other packed away to avoid mismatched data at check-in. |
| Criminal conviction older than 10 years | Consult official US or Canadian rehabilitation guidelines; may require full visa. Start the process a year out. |
| Previous ESTA or eTA refusal | Gather supporting docs (employment letter, property deeds, invitation letter). Use SimpleVisa’s document checklist engine to flag gaps early and pre-screen for re-application eligibility. |
| Group bookings for corporate hospitality | Use SimpleVisa’s white-label app to dispatch personalised visa links inside ticket confirmation emails—cutting coordinator workload by 80 percent. |
| Inconsistent names across passports and FIFA tickets | Update ticket profile to match passport exactly or secure an affidavit per host-city guidelines. Airline staff follow passport spelling, not your jersey name. |
7. The Ideal Timeline (Back-Planning From Kick-Off)
| Date | Milestone | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | Host-city fixture draw announced | Map potential cross-border routes. Check passport expiry (must cover your last planned departure + 6 months). |
| Nov 2024–Jan 2025 | Visa-required nationals start DS-160 (US) or TRV (Canada) | Book embassy appointments; gather police and bank statements. |
| Mar 2025 | Hospitality and ticket bundles on sale | Embed SimpleVisa widget in checkout to upsell fast-track authorisations. |
| Sep 2025 | Flight and accommodation surge | Verify you hold at least one approved authorisation; apply for missing ones now. |
| Feb 2026 | Stadium-specific fan ID details published | Check if additional registrations (similar to Qatar Hayya) apply—none announced yet, but stay alert. |
| Mar 2026 | Final ticket resale window opens | Last chance for ESTA/eTA if you gambled. Prior refusals? Pay for premium processing where offered. |
| May 2026 | Travel insurance purchase | Ensure policy covers visa-related cancellations. Save PDF in the SimpleVisa dashboard for one-click claims evidence. |
| 11 Jun 2026 | Opening match | Carry printout or offline PDF of each approval plus onward-travel proof when crossing borders. |
8. Using SimpleVisa to De-Risk World Cup Travel
Whether you are an online travel agency bundling match packages or a five-friend squad planning a tri-nation road trip, SimpleVisa removes paperwork guesswork.
- Auto-eligibility check: Enter passport and route; receive real-time ESTA/eTA/visa requirements with links to official portals.
- Smart forms: Pre-fill traveller data from booking engines through our travel API.
- White-label checkout: Offer fans in-flow visa purchase and earn ancillary revenue.
- Approval monitoring: Webhook alerts push status changes to your CRM, so you can remind slow travellers before airline deadlines.
- High approval rate: Our validation engine catches 92 percent of common errors—see 10 Tips for a Smooth Electronic Visa Application Process.
9. Sustainability and Paperless Borders
FIFA has pledged to make 2026 the greenest World Cup to date. You can contribute:
- Choose electronic visas over embassy appointments—an e-visa transaction emits a few grams of CO₂, compared with flights or car trips to consulates. See our analysis of the environmental impact of eVisas vs. embassy visits.
- Store authorisations in secure mobile wallets instead of printing multiple copies.
- Bundle routes to reduce intra-tournament flights—rail options exist between some US and Canadian cities.
10. Final Checks Before You Fly
- Passport validity: At least 6 months beyond your final departure.
- Multiple authorisations: ESTA + eTA + FMM or Mexican visa if required.
- Match tickets and itineraries: Names exactly match passports.
- Proof of onward travel: Airline and land-border officers may ask.
- Insurance and emergency numbers: Save offline copies.
- Vaccination certificates: Not mandatory as of Oct 2025, but regulations can change—monitor host government advisories.
Tick these off and you can focus on the important stuff—like debating whether Alphonso Davies can out-sprint Christian Pulisic in the quarter-finals.
Ready to get started?
Visit SimpleVisa.com or ask your travel provider if they have already integrated our Visa API. Secure your authorisations today and join millions of fans for the most epic, cross-border World Cup yet.