Prospective Ghanaian visa applicants hoping to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will soon be briefed on the requirements and procedures for the application process, the Embassy of the United States of America has announced.
According to the Embassy, one of the key criteria for eligibility would be the purchase of a match ticket through a FIFA-approved ticketing mechanism.
This was disclosed to the Daily Graphic last Friday by the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Rolf A. Olson, who said details of the programme were still under review but were expected to be ready for public announcement soon, “After the holidays, we are going to talk more publicly as we are still working out details,” he said, adding,
“There is going to be a programme, which I’m told has been announced publicly—FIFA Pass—where Ghanaians and others purchase their tickets through a FIFA-approved mechanism.”
Mr Olson explained that purchasing an official ticket would enable applicants to qualify for expedited visa appointments, a key measure expected to help manage the surge in applications ahead of the tournament.
“There will be a way to get an expedited appointment; the details are still being worked out,” he noted, saying, “I was just on a phone call to Washington where we discussed this further. We will have more internal conversations next week and expect to make an announcement in January.”
He added that the Embassy would engage the media extensively to ensure transparency and public understanding of the process.
“We will take time to engage the media and walk them through the process thoroughly. We want people to understand the details and be transparent, so we will announce well in advance how it will work,” Mr Olson said.
The Chargé d’Affaires also disclosed that the US was coordinating closely with Canadian and Mexican authorities—co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup—to streamline travel arrangements for international fans, including Ghanaians.
He noted that with the restoration of five-year multiple-entry visas for Ghanaian travellers, those already holding valid visas would be able to move freely between the three host countries if Ghana played matches in different venues.
“We’ve been working with our Canadian and Mexican counterparts on the arrangement for the World Cup,” he said. “Those with five-year multiple-entry visas will have the ability to go back and forth between countries as needed.”
Anticipating increased demand ahead of the tournament, Mr Olson said the Embassy would bring in temporary staffing support to expand capacity and handle the expected volume of visa applications.
