Washington [US], September 24: US President Donald Trump invites people to watch two major sporting events, while the White House tightens visa policies and foreign visitors decline.
Reuters on September 24 quoted US President Donald Trump expressing hope that "countless people from all over the world" will attend the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics hosted by the US.
Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, he said that next year the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence. "We will also be proud to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and then the 2028 Olympics. It will be a very exciting event. I hope you all will come," he invited.
FIFA said earlier this month it had received more than 1.5 million ticket applications from fans in 210 countries within 24 hours of the pre-sale draw for the World Cup. The 48-team tournament, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States, will feature 104 matches in 16 cities.
However, traveling to the US can be expensive and complicated for many people.
Visitors from countries not covered by the visa exemption will have to pay an additional $250 "visa guarantee fee" on top of the current fee, as tourists already face lengthy visa wait times.
According to data from the US State Department, the average wait time for an interview for a B-1/B-2 tourist or business visa is 169 days. This will affect fans from countries that typically send large crowds to the World Cup, including Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
According to FIFA, global ticket demand for the tournament comes mainly from the three host nations, followed by Argentina, Colombia and Brazil.
Travellers from visa-free countries - mostly in Europe - will not have to pay the new fee, but industry experts say some are worried about being stopped at the border.
The White House is also considering tightening visa terms for students, cultural exchange visitors and members of the press, according to a draft regulation released by the US government in August.
According to preliminary US government data, the number of foreign visitors to the US in August fell 2.9% compared to the same month last year, to about 3.5 million.
This is the sixth month this year to record a year-over-year decline in arrivals, bucking global travel trends and defying predictions that by 2025 annual international arrivals to the US will surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million for the first time.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
