BRUSSELS — An increasing number of soccer fans are frustrated by complicated visa processes preventing them from attending World Cup matches in the United States.
A Belgian-Moroccan soccer enthusiast, speaking anonymously to avoid any backlash, shared with POLITICO that he believed he had secured tickets for the Morocco vs. Brazil match on Saturday through FIFA’s lottery system. He booked flights to New York and applied for entry to the U.S.
However, complications soon arose.
The fan, who had previously traveled using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)—an online system for travelers from countries that don’t require visas for short U.S. visits—mentioned that his application was initially approved on May 27 but was unexpectedly revoked a week later.
“There was nothing mentioned except for travel not authorized,” he explained. “That’s the whole frustrating situation — the opacity of the whole thing.”
His efforts to secure a non-immigrant visa were unsuccessful. Although the State Department introduced an expedited process for certain fans ahead of the World Cup, the Belgian-Moroccan individual could not access it because an appointment platform failed to register his payments.
Consequently, he could not schedule the mandatory interview at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels, a prerequisite for an expedited appointment. Additionally, his calls to the embassy went unanswered as they were redirected to an inactive Belgian number.
Similar issues have been reported by other World Cup attendees. Scottish musician Kenny Smith noted his ESTA was revoked despite recent travels to the U.S. Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry even though he was chosen to officiate at the tournament.
On Wednesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged the visa system specifically for the World Cup was “not working always, and with everyone.” Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended visa denials on Thursday, citing security concerns.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson did not confirm if dual nationals were more likely to have their applications revoked but stated that ESTA applications undergo continuous vetting and that approval “does not guarantee admission” to the U.S.
For the Belgian-Moroccan fan who will miss Saturday’s match, the visa challenges contradicted the spirit of the tournament. “The whole experience of a World Cup is intended to bring people together,” he noted. “Now actually being rejected for no reason, it actually has the opposite effect.”
