Fans from five African nations heading to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup just got a potential $15,000 (£11,100) reprieve – provided they already have a match ticket for the finals.
Late on Wednesday, the Trump administration confirmed that ticket-holding supporters from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia will be exempt from the requirement to post a visa deposit.
The five were among 50 countries swept up in the requirement, introduced last year, intended to reduce visa overstays and part of a wider immigration crackdown by the White House.
With 78 of the 104 games at this year’s World Cup taking place on American soil, the climbdown matters.
But for Africans planning a trip to a tournament spanning the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July, plenty of obstacles remain.
What has changed?
The sums required for a visa bond range from $5,000 (£3,700) to $15,000.
“We are waiving visa bonds for qualified fans who bought World Cup tickets,” US assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Mora Namdar said in a statement to the BBC.
However, it comes with a caveat.
In order to have the bond requirement waived, ticket holders from affected countries must have registered with the online FIFA Pass system by 15 April.
That system, announced last November, is intended to help ticket-holders get expedited visa appointments.
FIFA said the announcement that the visa bond has been waived demonstrates its ongoing collaboration with the White House “to deliver a successful, record-breaking and unforgettable global event”.
But this news may come too late for many hoping to make the trip and see their side in action.
It is not clear if anyone from the five African countries who buys a last-minute match ticket will need to pay the visa deposit.
And travellers from the Ivory Coast and Senegal still face partial restrictions under the Trump administration’s ongoing travel ban.
Supporters from those two West African countries who did not secure their visas before December will not be granted visitor visas to travel to the US.
Meanwhile, even people from countries not subject to the bond requirements are still experiencing difficulties securing passage.
BBC Sport Africa understands some Ghanaians, who hope to see their team play in Boston and Philadelphia, have been denied US entry visas.
Other hurdles for African fans
The cost of flights, accommodation and internal transit is an immediate issue for those intending to travel from the continent.
With the tournament taking place in three different countries, the majority of African fans will need to cross international borders during the group stage, with only Algeria, Cape Verde and Morocco based in the USA for the entirety of the group stage.
Fans from Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal all need visas to enter Canada for games in Toronto or Vancouver, with DR Congo, South Africa and Tunisia playing at least one match in Mexico.
Then comes the price of tickets, which are sky-high.
Some $600 (£444) seats were available for Egypt’s game against Belgium via Fifa’s official site on Thursday, but those were the only ones on the market under $1,170 (£866) for any of the first 10 games featuring an African side.
The few tickets still available for the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa are priced at $3,840 (£2,840).
But Fifa’s resale platform features vastly inflated prices, with two category-three tickets in the top tier of the stadium hosting that first match in Mexico City being offered for a staggering $34,500 (£25,550) each.
Late last year, the US government also announced that tourists from dozens of countries could be required to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry – another immigration policy that could affect visitors during the World Cup.
Rights groups have warned travellers that such policies could lead to denied entry, arrest risks, expanded travel restrictions, social media screening, racial profiling and increased surveillance.
A record 10 African sides will take part in the finals, but those hoping to cheer their team on in person will need deep pockets.
