2025-11-18 06:55
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2025-11-18 06:55
US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Monday that fans with tickets to next year's FIFA World Cup matches in the US will be given priority in the visa granting process. Ticket holders can expect a visa interview within 6-8 weeks.
Trump announced the new program – dubbed PASS – during a meeting with the head of FIFA in the Oval Office of the White House. As he explained, it will enable ticket holders to “jump the queue” in applying for a visa and shorten the waiting time for an interview with a consular officer.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that by using the program, fans will be able to count on an invitation to an interview within 6-8 weeks. He noted that before Trump took power, the waiting process in countries such as Brazil and Argentina was up to a year.
– I encourage you to apply for a visa as soon as you receive your tickets. “It will be the same screening process, but we will move them up in line,” Rubio said. He stressed, however, that having a ticket will not guarantee admission to the USA.
Trump emphasized that the championships scheduled for the summer of 2026 will be the largest sports event in the history of the country.
– It'll be like 104 Superbowl games (American football league finals-PAP). Even if it's 50, that's OK too, he said.
Trump and Infantino claimed that 5-10 million people would visit America during the championship – organized jointly with Canada and Mexico. It is expected to bring $30 billion to the American economy and create 200,000 jobs. jobs.
The US president is to take part in the draw for the World Cup groups, which will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center, a concert center managed by Trump. There, the president of FIFA is also to present the football federation's first peace award, the expected winner of which is the US president himself.
During Monday's ceremony, Trump was also asked about his previous threats – including: at Boston or Los Angeles – moving games from these cities due to their attitude towards immigration and crime. The president replied that the games would not be moved if state governors “behaved” well, and mentioned California Governor Gavin Newsom in that context.
“If we think there's going to be crime, if the governors are going to obstruct us, if there's even a hint of a problem, we want to get in there before it becomes a problem,” Trump said.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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