The US government has directed African fans willing to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026 to pay US$15,000 in order to obtain a visa under the new “Visa Bond Pilot Program”.
According to The Athletic, there is no nationwide process to have the bond waived, and no exemptions have been made for athletes.
This bond requirement affects supporters from several African nations, including Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia.
The five countries are among the nine African nations that have qualified for the tournament.
The one-time payment will be refunded after the traveller exits the US in accordance with the terms of their visa.
However, the bond is set to prohibit ordinary African fans from travelling to the World Cup.
The most affected teams will be Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, who are scheduled to play twice in the US and once in Canada during the group stages.
Tunisia are set to play one group-stage match in the US, while Algeria and Cape Verde will only be affected if they progress to the later stages of the tournament, as they will play all three of their group-stage matches in Mexico.
Meanwhile, FIFA is reportedly working behind the scenes to push the US government to waive the bonds for members of federations, including players, coaches, staff, and executives.
Numerous countries raised concerns over the policy at pre-World Cup meetings held in Atlanta earlier this month.
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