Hosting the 2026 World Cup is turning into a nightmare for the U.S.

Soccer fans worldwide eagerly anticipate the 2026 World Cup, especially after the thrilling spectacle of Euro 2024. The upcoming FIFA tournament, set to take place across the American continent, will predominantly be hosted in the United States, promising a unique experience for players and fans. However, a growing concern might prevent some fans from attending the games...

Many fans from around the world are likely to experience some visa issues, as it's considered extremely hard to get a U.S. visa. "The immigration system is so backlogged that many fans may not be able to secure a visa in time even though the tournament is under two years away," reported NPR.

The United States is gearing up to host three major global sporting events in the coming years: the 2026 Men's World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

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Hosting international events like these holds an immense responsibility. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan) issued a letter this month urging the Biden administration to establish a "White House Task Force on Global Sport Events," according to NPR.

The lengthy waiting times for U.S. visas have become a significant concern, especially as the country prepares to host three major global sporting events. For example, in New Delhi, the wait for a visitor visa can extend up to 386 days, according to NPR.

It gets worse for those big soccer countries, especially in Latin America, where some visas can take up to 600 days. "The current wait time for an interview with a consular official (Colombia, Bogota) stands at 677 days," with the tournament set to kick off in 664 days...

Long waiting times have also impacted people from the co-hosting nation of Mexico, reaching up to 476 waiting days in Mexico City.

Meanwhile, FIFA said it's working with various sides of the U.S. government on issues including security and immigration.

Both FIFA and the U.S. government recognize the need to expedite immigration wait times and have made it a top priority ahead of the upcoming major events.

"We recognize the urgency of these matters, as well as the role they play in delivering a successful event that will draw millions of visitors from around the world," FIFA said in a statement to NPR.

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Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, has vouched to make sure this next World Cup is unique, thanks to its new tournament format. "The FIFA 2026 World Cup final in New York will unite the world," according to the Italian.

The next World Cup will be the biggest ever because it is expanding to 48 teams, from 32. This not only promotes more football among nations but also a massive influx of fans.

The U.S. has visa waiver programs with 41 countries, however, that still leaves many others without a B1/B2 visitor visa ahead of the World Cup.

This means many soccer fans need to rush to apply for a visa now, before they even know if their country will qualify. Nevertheless, the State Department said it is encouraging people who want to come "to apply now."

According to NPR, the main workaround to cut down on the wait time is to check online for any earlier slots for visa appointments.

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According to Travis Murphey (CEO of Jetr Global Sports), the US needs to urgently deal with the visa backlog. In previous World Cups, like Qatar 2022, they provided a simple visa process for anybody with a ticket for a game. However, the U.S. faces multiple challenges when simplifying the visa process due to its political nature around immigration.