With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than a month away, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has processed a record-breaking wave of travel authorizations — and launched new tools to help the largest influx of sports tourists in American history arrive without a hitch.
The Numbers Behind the Surge
The scale of pre-tournament travel preparation is unprecedented. From October 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026, CBP received over 5.9 million ESTA applications under the Visa Waiver Program, resulting in over 5 million approvals.
The top five nations for approvals were the United Kingdom with over 1.2 million, followed by France with over 570,000, Germany with over 530,000, Japan with over 500,000, and the Republic of Korea with over 320,000.
ESTA — the Electronic System for Travel Authorization — allows citizens of 42 countries to visit the United States for tourism or business without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. For the World Cup co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it is the primary entry gateway for the vast majority of international fans.
CBP also received over 1.6 million applications for Trusted Traveler Programs including Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS during the same period. These programs allow pre-approved travelers to use expedited lanes at airports and land border crossings — a key advantage during what is expected to be an overwhelming summer for U.S. airports.
“Spend Less Time in Line”
The agency struck an unusually welcoming tone in its May 18 announcement, a notable shift amid a broader climate of stricter U.S. immigration enforcement.
“CBP is committed to ensuring safe and lawful travel for all visitors attending the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said Matthew Davies, executive director of Admissibility and Passenger Programs, Office of Field Operations. “By expanding participation in our Trusted Traveler Programs and ESTA, we are helping all travelers spend less time in line and more time enjoying their experience in the United States, while maintaining strong border security.”
The statement is significant context given that earlier this year, a CBP proposal to require all ESTA applicants to submit five years of social media history sparked international backlash and fears of a tournament boycott by European fans. The agency has since walked back the proposal to a more targeted approach, confirming no new social media requirements will be in force before the World Cup begins in June.
Meet COMPASS: CBP’s New AI Travel Assistant
Beyond processing applications, CBP is deploying technology to manage the flood of traveler inquiries. CBP’s interactive, secure virtual assistant named COMPASS went live on April 1, 2026, and in just over a month has already answered over 25,000 questions covering topics from general entry requirements to inquiries related to ESTA and Global Entry.
The tool is accessible at askcompass.cbp.gov and is linked across CBP’s World Cup landing pages. A joint “Know Before You Go” fact sheet developed with FIFA has also been released for easy reference, complemented by the TSA’s World Cup Security Playbook — a practical guide offering a “game plan for a smooth journey.”
What Fans Still Need to Know
Despite the record approval numbers, the road to the stadium is not entirely smooth. The CBP official World Cup travel page reminds visitors that ESTA authorization is not a guarantee of entry — CBP officers retain final authority at ports of entry, and travelers who violate U.S. laws or the conditions of their stay may face detention and removal.
For travelers not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, the State Department has set up a FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS) to streamline visa processing ahead of the tournament.
The CBP Mobile Passport Control app allows travelers to submit passport information, customs declaration responses, and biometric photographs before presenting for inspection — and supports group submissions of up to 12 travelers from a single device. Fans traveling in groups are strongly encouraged to use it.
The Bigger Picture
The countdown to the largest sporting event in history has officially triggered an unprecedented administrative surge at America’s borders, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup marking a historic expansion to 48 teams. With matches spread across 16 cities in three countries, the logistics of moving millions of fans safely through U.S. ports of entry represent a genuine test of the country’s border infrastructure — and so far, the early numbers suggest the system is holding.
