Kenyans planning to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup can now begin applying for visas after the U.S. government formally announced the opening of the application process.
The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday evening confirmed that embassies and consulates around the world have started receiving and processing visa requests from fans seeking to attend the tournament.
“Foreign travellers planning to attend a 2026 World Cup match in the United States who need a U.S. visa should apply now. Our embassies and consulates are working diligently to ensure an efficient, smooth, and effective visa process that protects America’s security,” the Department said in its statement.
The move comes just days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino, during his meeting with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, assured Kenyan fans that there should be no concerns about U.S. travel restrictions under President Donald Trump’s administration affecting access to the tournament.
Infantino’s assurance and the U.S. announcement provide a boost to thousands of Kenyan football lovers eager to experience the historic event, which will mark the biggest-ever World Cup with 48 teams competing.
The 2026 edition will feature 104 matches staged across 16 cities in three host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States, making it the largest and most expansive tournament in FIFA’s history.
Meanwhile, Kenya recently received praise for successfully hosting the CHAN 2024 tournament, where, for the first time in many years, thousands of fans thronged the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to rally behind the national team, Harambee Stars.
The country is also keen on hosting AFCON 2027, with preparations already underway under the East Africa Pamoja bid.
Social Media Scrutiny
This comes at a time when the U.S. has been consistently making changes to its visa application processes to weed out unlawful entrants into the nation.
In August, Trump’s administration announced that under the new guidelines, most non-immigrant visa applicants will still need to attend an in-person interview, including those aged under 14 or over 79.
In the visa application form, an applicant is required to provide their email address, social media usernames or handles, and telephone number correctly.
In another notice issued on July 25, the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi stated that visa applicants will be required to list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used in the past five years before being granted entry into the country.
While warning against such commissions, the Embassy noted that failure to provide correct information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future US visa applications.
