World Cup 2026 ticket holders traveling to the United States will be eligible for priority visa appointments, FIFA announced on Monday.

The announcement was made by FIFA president Gianni Infantino during a visit to the Oval Office. Infantino was joined by several other U.S. government officials including President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

The U.S. Department of State unveiled the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System, or FIFA PASS, which World Cup ticket holders can use to cut the line for visa appointments ahead of the tournament next summer.

The U.S. government had been under pressure to find a solution to long wait times that in some countries extended beyond the tournament in June and July.

"We'll have between five and 10 million people coming to America from all over the world to enjoy the World Cup," Infantino said during the event. "With this FIFA PASS, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket that are legitimate soccer fans can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions."

FIFA said more than six million tickets will be available for the tournament, which will take place across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The U.S. will host the bulk of the games, with 11 American cities set to feature matches.

The FIFA PASS program does not guarantee that all ticket-holding fans from abroad will be allowed into the United States.

Neither FIFA nor the U.S. government officials indicated exactly how expedited FIFA PASS visa appointments would be. In Colombia, which has qualified for the World Cup, wait time for a visa interview is currently set at 9.5 months, per the U.S. Department of State.

"Our message to everybody is, if you have a ticket for any of the games, you need to apply," Rubio said on Monday. "If you haven't done so, [apply] as soon as possible. Don't wait until the last minute.

"Your ticket is not a visa, it doesn't guarantee admission to the U.S. — it guarantees you an expedited appointment."

There is also Trump's June travel ban which fully or partially suspended entry and visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries.

Included among those 19 countries is Iran, which was among the first nations to qualify for the World Cup.

Per the U.S. Virtual Embassy in Tehran: "Nationals of these countries may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may be determined to be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States."

This article originally appeared on Pro Soccer Wire: FIFA announces expedited U.S. visa process for World Cup ticket holders

Reporting by Seth Vertelney, Pro Soccer Wire / Pro Soccer Wire

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