Foreigners Attending World Cup Granted Special Privilege Entering U.S.

The 2026 World Cup is roughly a month away.

The biggest soccer tournament on the planet - and, really, the biggest sporting event in the world - will take place in North America, beginning in June. The 2026 World Cup is set to begin on June 11. American cities like New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and more will be hosting World Cup games.

The World Cup is obviously a massive international event. However, international travel to the U.S. has decreased in some areas. Will we see it increasing for the World Cup?

President Trump has reportedly granted a special privilege to foreigners who will be attending the World Cup, in hopes of increasing travel.

On Wednesday, President Trump confirmed that foreigners with World Cup tickets will not have to pay pricy bonds to enter the United States.

"The Trump administration is suspending a requirement that foreign visitors from certain countries pay as much as $15,000 in bonds if they are confirmed World Cup ticket holders, the State Department told The Associated Press on Wednesday," the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Government is hoping that it'll help

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar spoke out.

"The United States is excited to organize the biggest and best FIFA World Cup in history," Namdar said.

"We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets."

Earlier this year, only about 250 people from abroad attending the World Cup were expected to be impacted by the bonds payment requirement, however, in recent months, that number has reportedly risen.

The first games of the 2026 World Cup are scheduled for June 11. Mexico will be playing South Africa, while Czechia will be playing South Korea, at 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively.

The United States' first game is scheduled for June 12 at 9 p.m.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 2:09 PM.