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With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, concerns about costs, U.S. politics, and travel rules are shaping how some fans view the tournament.
The largest ever World Cup is expected to draw millions of visitors to North America. But travel rules and safety concerns are making some supporters think twice.
“It’s a perfect storm,” said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a network representing fans. “There’s the ticket prices, there’s the domestic political situation, there is the difficulty or the impossibility to enter the country for some nations.”
“There are people that are simply unable to afford the tickets. And then others that are just, for ethical reasons, don’t want to travel to the U.S. at the moment.”
LISTEN | Could U.S. politics disrupt Vancouver’s World Cup?:
This is Vancouver14:53Could US politics disrupt Vancouver’s World Cup?
Vancouver will host seven matches at the FIFA World Cup, but politics are creeping into the picture. City councillors want clarity on whether U.S. immigration agents could be present, while some fans worry about travel rules and rising tensions south of the border. We break down the odds, the unknowns, and what it all means for the tournament here at home.
The hesitations come as travel to the United States shows signs of slowing. A U.S. Travel Association report forecast a 3.2 per cent drop in international tourism spending in 2025, a loss of $5.7 billion US from the previous year. The association largely attributed the drop to fewer Canadian visitors. But some international groups say they are reconsidering World Cup travel as well.
Three Lions Pride, England’s official 2SLGBTQ+ supporters group, says it will not travel to the U.S. in an organized way, citing concerns about safety, discrimination, and human rights protections.
“At the moment, there are serious concerns about the safety and security in the U.S., especially for people that come from vulnerable groups,” Evain said.
Policy changes and political rhetoric have added to the uncertainty. The U.S. State Department has paused immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including some nations that qualified for the World Cup. The pause only applies to the issuance of immigrant visas.
In October, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to relocate matches scheduled for Boston, claiming parts of the city had been “taken over” by unrest.
‘Travellers want reassurance’
Travel industry officials say demand to attend matches remains high, but travellers want clarity before booking.
Oswaldo Freitas, the CEO of Easy Time Travel, said clients are seeking reassurance about possible disruptions and shifting entry rules.
“We’re hearing questions and concerns … about the possibility of disruptions in the travel experience. Travellers want to reassure that the rules won’t change after they have booked,” he said.
Despite hearing concerns, Freitas says interest to visit the U.S. remains strong.
“Even with all this noise … We have been receiving a lot of inquiries and new bookings requests as well,” he said.
FIFA says global excitement for the tournament has reached unprecedented levels, with more than half a billion ticket requests submitted during the Random Selection Draw phase, which ran from Dec. 11, 2025 to Jan. 13, 2026.
Fans watch Canada take on Belgium at the FIFA World Cup at the Red Card Sports Bar in Vancouver, British Columbia on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Evain says that enthusiasm is not reflected among many European supporters.
“The excitement [for the World Cup] isn’t really there in Europe … It’s very hard to see the demand in tickets that FIFA is claiming there is.”
Evain said there are still fans that will travel because they don’t want to miss out on the games and might be “less concerned” by U.S. politics.
In December, FIFA slashed the price of some World Cup tickets for teams’ most loyal fans following a global backlash.
Separating politics from sport
Canadian officials say the World Cup presents an opportunity to bring people together.
“As much as we don’t all necessarily agree with the politics of what’s going on in the U.S. … we have to find a way to make this an incredible experience for everyone,” said Jesse Marsch, Canada men’s national team head coach.
Canadian men’s head coach Jesse Marsch. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Marsch added that Canada’s host cities are well positioned to welcome fans.
“It’s going to be really nice up here [in Canada] and the venues that we have are going to be amazing.”
The B.C. government estimates the matches in Vancouver will lead to more than one million additional out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in additional visitor spending.
In January, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said he would encourage people to “decouple the love of the game” from geopolitical events.
“[The] World Cup has an opportunity to unite us and show the world that we have more in common than what divides us,” said Sim.
