Overview
- The State Department launched FIFA PASS to prioritize visa appointments for confirmed ticket holders and is deploying more than 500 additional consular staff worldwide.
- The administration’s pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries does not cover short‑term visitor visas used by fans, though confusion persists over who qualifies and how exemptions apply.
- France’s sports minister said the country is not currently considering a boycott, and Dutch officials signaled they plan to participate, while UEFA and FIFA figures are reported to be concerned but in wait‑and‑see mode.
- At Davos, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said reports of fans from certain countries being denied U.S. entry were not true and touted extraordinary ticket demand.
- A Deutsche Welle fact‑check found no evidence of mass ticket cancellations and noted that stadium security is led by local authorities, with large‑scale ICE enforcement against admitted visitors viewed as unlikely.