NEW YORK: President Donald Trump has extended a global invitation for fans to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics hosted by the United States.
He made these remarks during his speech at the UN General Assembly without addressing his administration’s migration policies that have discouraged some travellers.
Overseas travel to the United States dropped by 2.9% year-on-year in August to approximately 3.5 million visitors according to preliminary government data.
This decline represents the sixth consecutive month of reduced travel this year contrary to global tourism trends.
Expectations that inbound visitors would surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million by 2025 now appear increasingly unlikely.
Trump highlighted that the United States will celebrate its 250th independence anniversary next year alongside hosting these major sporting events.
“It’s going to be very exciting. I hope you all come. I hope that countless people from all over the globe will take part,” he told the assembly.
FIFA reported receiving over 1.5 million ticket applications from 210 countries within 24 hours of the World Cup presale draw earlier this month.
The 48-team tournament will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States featuring 104 matches across 16 host cities.
Many potential visitors face significant financial and bureaucratic hurdles including a new 250 dollar “visa integrity fee” for travellers from non-waiver countries.
Applicants from these countries currently endure an average 169-day wait for tourism or business visa interviews according to State Department data.
This particularly affects fans from traditional football powerhouses like Mexico, Argentina and Brazil that typically send large contingents to World Cup events.
FIFA data shows global ticket demand originated primarily from the three host nations followed by Argentina, Colombia and Brazil.
Travellers from visa-waiver countries mostly in Europe avoid the new fee but some express concerns about border incidents after highly publicised cases.
The White House proposed regulations in August seeking to reduce visa durations for students, cultural exchange visitors and media members.
Los Angeles, California will host the 2028 Summer Olympics in July 2028. – Reuters