US visa appointment: Apply now if you want to make it to Fifa World Cup 2026

As anticipation mounts for the Fifa World Cup 2026, football fans in the UAE eager to watch the tournament in North America must act immediately if they hope to be at the heart of the action. Experts urgently warn that securing a US tourist visa in time requires early planning, given surging global demand and limited appointment slots.

- Ajanta Paul

Visa applications from the UAE have spiked dramatically this year, highlighting an urgent rush to secure spots for the 2026 World Cup. Anastasia Yanchenko, CEO of The Visa Services, urged residents to act now and apply as early as 2025. "Waiting until early 2026 is extremely risky," she warned, "processing delays and rapidly vanishing appointments could derail travel plans."

Football coach Blessing Rodney Mutsveta is among those eager to travel to the US for the World Cup. "Matches featuring African countries, specifically South Africa in the group stages, would be exciting to watch," said the UAE resident.

The 37-year-old plans to start his visa application process in January, despite knowing the potential delays. "January might already be late because of the time it takes to get an embassy interview, wait times can stretch up to a year," he noted.

Nonetheless, the Zimbabwean remains determined, hoping to secure a slot as the US plans to open millions of visa interview appointments worldwide.

The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi told Khaleej Times that millions of visa interview appointments are being made available worldwide ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Interview slots are being prioritised for Fifa ticket holders, guaranteeing that they will be able to complete their visa formalities without facing the usual backlog.

Currently, after a US visa interview, approved visas are typically stamped within 5-10 working days in Dubai, while refusals are issued immediately. However, scheduling an appointment can take several weeks to over a year, depending on demand. Working with expert agencies like The Visa Services can significantly reduce waiting times, sometimes to just one week.

Yanchenko explained that visa slots are severely limited between January and April due to overlapping demand from spring holidays, business travel, and student programmes.