World Cup 2026 visas will be processed quickly, Trump says

The US leader wrote three letters to Fifa since March in support of the North American bid

US President Donald Trump has promised to expedite visas for the 2026 World Cup to be held jointly in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Since March 2018, the president has sent three letters to Fifa in which he stated that fans and teams would not face restrictions should their organisations qualify for the tournament. The New York Times reviewed the letters, which were sent to counter a strong rival bid from Morocco.

Officials from around the world were concerned that Mr Trump’s travel ban, which had originally focused on Muslim-majority countries, and other immigration policies like limiting legal visas and the border wall would hinder the ability to host the event.

But United Bid, the group representing the joint US-Mexico-Canada bid to host, said Mr Trump had written in a 2 May letter that "all eligible athletes, officials, and fans from all countries around the world would be able to enter the United States without discrimination".

He added, he is “confident that the United States would host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a similarly open and festive manner” as the 1996 summer Olympics, 2002 winter Olympics, and the 1994 World Cup.

Mr Trump, who recently attended the G7 in Canada and tweeted what critics thought were open insults to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while continuing to push for a 2,000-mile border wall with Mexico, was a wild card, so to speak.

However, in a 9 March letter the newspaper reported, he had written the bid was a North American one done in the “spirit of continental partnership”.

The Trump administration also ruffled feathers with the extensive re-negotiating of the $21 trillion North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with Canada and Mexico.

He also agreed in one letter that the US would respect Fifa rules during games held in its borders, which requires playing the national anthems of each of the countries playing.

Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was unceremoniously sacked by Mr Trump via Twitter, wrote to Fifa on 12 March as well to say that the US would issue visas "subject to eligibility under US law, without regard to race, skin color, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, disability, wealth, birth or any other status, or sexual orientation”.

Fifa told CNN that it is not uncommon for nations looking to host the wildly popular football tournament to submit letters of support from their government leaders.

Mr Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama once flew to Chicago in 2009 to make an impassioned speech to the International Olympic Committee in order to support his city’s bid to host the 2016 summer Olympics.

Under the current winning proposal, the US will host 60 games including everything from the quarterfinals and up, while Canada and Mexico will host 10 games each.

The New York Times also said, White House senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner reached out to the Saudi royal family to support United Bid and the National Security Council had also been in touch with countries whose votes could help.

Due to term limits, even if Mr Trump wins the 2020 election, he will not be president during the 2026 World Cup.