Every four years, the World Cup does something that goes largely unnoticed amid the goals and group stages: it rewrites the rulebook on how people cross borders. The 2026 edition, the largest and most complex in the tournament’s history, may be doing so more profoundly than ever before.
The report, FIFA World Cup Border Management & Visa Facilitation: 20 Years of Evolution (2006–2026), released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) at the start of the 23rd tournament, highlights the significant changes achieved over two decades and shows how major sporting events have become laboratories for faster, smarter and safer travel.
“The FIFA World Cup has consistently demonstrated that border management can evolve from a barrier into an enabler of global connectivity”, said Gloria Guevara, WTTC’s President & CEO.
The first-ever tri-nation World Cup, spanning the US, Canada and Mexico, is delivering one of the most seamless international travel operations ever achieved.
— WTTC (@WTTC) June 11, 2026
🌍 5.9 million ESTA applications processed ahead of the tournament
🌍 1.6 million travellers enrolled in Trusted… pic.twitter.com/KoTzGYd6qu
This year, the challenge was threefold. For the first time ever, 48 teams are competing across three host countries, necessitating an unparalleled degree of coordination between various border systems. At its core is the so-called “trusted traveller“ model, which enables pre-approved, low-risk passengers to enjoy faster and smoother border clearance, thereby reducing queues and uncertainty upon arrival.
In the months preceding the tournament, more than 5.9 million ESTA applications were submitted for entry into the United States alone, with over 5 million being approved, allowing eligible travellers to enter visa-free. More than 1.6 million travellers enrolled in Trusted Traveller Programmes (TTP), including Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, enabling faster processing across the three host countries.
Attention FIFA World Cup 2026™ Ticket Holders! You’ve got your ticket, but you also need a visa. The FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) gives verified ticket holders who purchase directly from FIFA and opt in for FIFA PASS access to prioritized B1/B2 visitor… pic.twitter.com/IwVLqrcUix
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) February 19, 2026
Digital tools such as FIFA PASS and COMPASS have also supported this transition. FIFA PASS helps prioritise visa appointments for ticket holders, while COMPASS uses AI to guide visitors through entry requirements.
For Guevara, this marks “the emergence of a new model for travel, one that is digital, secure and seamless”. She says that the lessons learned from major tournaments show how digital identity systems and stronger pre-departure checks can improve security and the traveller experience.
Mexico has also introduced measures allowing citizens from over 65 countries to enter the country visa-free for stays of up to 180 days. Travellers holding valid visas or residency permits from the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, or the Schengen Area are also exempt from additional visa requirements, which helps fans to move more easily between host nations. The country’s Viajero Confiable, or Trusted Traveller programme, enables eligible passengers to use automated kiosks and speed up border procedures.
Canada encouraged football supporters to reference ’FIFA World Cup 26′ in their applications to facilitate processing. The country’s NEXUS programme provided expedited entry through dedicated kiosks and digital systems. The ArriveCAN app allowed travellers to complete customs and immigration declarations up to 72 hours before arrival and access express lanes at major airports, including Toronto and Vancouver.
None of this arrived fully formed. The 2006 World Cup in Germany focused on harmonising Schengen travel, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa introduced event visas with pre-screening, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil built a dedicated legal framework, the 2018 World Cup in Russia launched the Fan ID, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar expanded the concept with the Hayya platform, which later became a permanent national e-visa system.
Twenty years later, the World Cup is shaping more than just football history. It is also having an increasingly significant impact on how people move across borders. However, the ultimate test is looming on the horizon with the 2030 World Cup, which will take place in six countries across three continents, a challenge that will demand even greater international cooperation.
