Volleyball National Novices final round in Badulla

US President Donald Trump at the launch of the World Cup 2026 which will be worked off in the US, Canada and Mexico

World Cup 2026 ticket holders can now access priority visa appointments for travel to the United States - but doubt remains whether fans from every country to have qualified will be able to enter.

The Fifa Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System - or Fifa Pass - announced by US President Donald Trump in November, went live on Tuesday.

It was introduced in part because citizens of some countries whose teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup may not otherwise receive visa appointments in time for the tournament.

But the US State Department has stressed that a Fifa Pass appointment does not guarantee a visa will be approved, with all ticket holders having to “undergo thorough security screening and vetting”.

Most citizens of countries under the US visa waiver programme, which covers much of Europe, including the UK, along with Japan, Australia and others, can ordinarily travel visa-free for up to 90 days, so do not need to use the Fifa Pass. 

The US said last Wednesday it will pause processing immigrant visas from 75 countries,, external 15 of which have qualified for the World Cup, including five-time winners Brazil.

A further seven nations on the list are still in contention to qualify for this year’s tournament, which will take place in the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.

The State Department confirmed on Tuesday the pause “applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only” and “does not apply to non-immigrant visas, such as those for tourists, athletes and their families, and media professionals”.

Qualified nations on the list of 75 countries: Algeria, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan.

Nations still in qualification contention on the list: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, Kosovo, North Macedonia. (BBC sport)