Canada Rejects More Than Half of FIFA World Cup Visa Applications

Canada has rejected more than half of the visa applications submitted by international football fans planning to attend the FIFA World Cup. According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), only 41 per cent of nearly 17,000 visa applications submitted by fans from more than 160 countries between Nov. 14, 2025, and March 31, 2026, were approved.

The highest number of applications came from Ghana, whose national team defeated Panama in Toronto on June 17. However, fewer than 11 per cent of the 1,725 visa applications submitted by Ghanaian fans were approved.

In contrast, 69 per cent of the 1,630 applications from Colombian fans were approved, even though Colombia did not play any of its group-stage matches in Canada.

Meanwhile, all applications from fans in countries eligible for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program, including Australia, Germany, Croatia and New Zealand, were approved. On the other hand, all applications from countries that require visitor visas, such as Syria, Uganda and Sri Lanka, were rejected. Overall, the approval rate for countries requiring visitor visas was just 32 per cent.

IRCC said the government has worked to facilitate travel for FIFA fans and players, but emphasized that security standards cannot be compromised.

The data does not include American visitors, as U.S. citizens do not require either a visa or an eTA to travel to Canada.