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In a significant move to streamline international travel for football enthusiasts, President Donald Trump has officially unveiled the Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS). This new service is designed to grant priority visa interview scheduling for individuals holding tickets to the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the White House, where President Trump was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The PASS initiative aims to significantly accelerate the often-cumbersome visa administration process, ensuring that international supporters can attend matches without facing lengthy bureaucratic hurdles and delays.
Infantino underscored the importance of the new system, stating that the 2026 World Cup is being conceptualized as the largest and most inclusive tournament in history. He emphasized that PASS represents a concrete step towards realizing this ambitious vision.
“FIFA PASS marks a significant milestone in the preparations for the FIFA World Cup, underscoring the close collaboration between FIFA and the White House Task Force in delivering a truly innovative global event,” Infantino shared on his official Instagram account, highlighting the strategic partnership.
The 2026 tournament is set to be a monumental event, with over six million tickets allocated across 16 host cities spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
However, the introduction of PASS was coupled with a stark warning from President Trump regarding the security of the host cities. During the same briefing, Trump cautioned that matches scheduled for Seattle could be relocated if the city’s crime rates do not show immediate improvement.
As reported by the Daily Mail on Monday, November 17, Trump asserted that organizers would not permit matches to proceed in any city deemed unsafe, implying that venue changes could be enacted at any moment. “If there are any cities that we think are going to be a little bit dangerous for the World Cup because they’re playing in so many cities, we’re not going to allow it,” Trump was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
This warning follows the recent election of socialist democrat Kate Wilson as Seattle’s new mayor. President Trump has previously criticized cities like Seattle and San Francisco, labeling them as being run by radical leftist groups, and has consistently pledged to prioritize security as paramount for the successful hosting of the global football spectacle.
The launch of PASS also comes against a backdrop of tightened immigration policies under the Trump administration. Earlier, two Portuguese supporters, despite correctly completing their ESTA forms, were denied entry into the United States while attempting to attend a Club World Cup match featuring Benfica. The new PASS system is therefore seen as a clear signal from the United States that it seeks to simplify access for World Cup 2026 fans, thereby preventing similar incidents from recurring and ensuring a welcoming environment for all international visitors.
Summary
President Donald Trump has introduced the Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS) alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, designed to streamline visa interview scheduling for international ticket holders of the FIFA World Cup 2026. This initiative aims to accelerate the visa process, ensuring easier access for football enthusiasts to the monumental tournament, which is envisioned as the largest and most inclusive in history across 16 host cities.
However, during the same announcement, President Trump warned that matches scheduled for Seattle could be relocated if the city’s crime rates do not show immediate improvement, citing security concerns. This policy comes amid existing tightened immigration policies under the Trump administration, with PASS also intended to prevent previous incidents of international fans being denied entry into the U.S. for matches.