Overview
- U.S. officials expanded a visa-bond program that will require some visitors to leave refundable deposits of $5,000 to $15,000, with five World Cup teams — Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Tunisia — among the affected countries.
- Reporting indicates players, coaches and staff from those nations are not automatically exempt, and FIFA is pressing for waivers while consular officers have only narrow, discretionary authority to waive bonds.
- Fans also face steep costs from FIFA’s dynamic ticket pricing, 15% fees charged to both buyer and seller on the official resale platform, and new charges such as paid access to fan zones, which consumer and supporter groups have challenged in an EU complaint.
- Some supporters report visa delays and shuttered embassies, including Jordanian fans who say applications are stuck, while separate U.S. travel bans restrict many residents of Iran and Haiti and partially limit travel from Senegal and Ivory Coast.
- New York City’s World Cup lead, Maya Handa, said the administration is reviewing the bond reports and is working with FIFA and the host committee to expand affordable ticket options, reflecting a local push to blunt the financial and administrative barriers highlighted by recent coverage.