The FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, with matches to be played through to July 19 - and all eyes are on the US, where 78 of the 104 matches are being held.
Whether you are heading to the US, or to see games in Mexico and Canada which are hosting 13 games each, it is time to get ready for your trip.
The US has a big year ahead. Besides the World Cup, in 2026 the United States will also be celebrating 250 years of independence, and the country’s most famous road, Route 66, will be turning 100.
But not as many travellers are planning to come as had initially been forecast - partly due to concerns about the administration's policies. Many have been frightened off by raids by the immigration agency ICE, entry bans for citizens of some countries plus plans for stricter entry controls.
What does that mean for travellers heading to the US?
This may be good news, if you are planning to book a US trip soon. “Prices have fallen significantly – for airlines, hotels and, above all, car hire,” says Timo Kohlenberg, managing director of tour operator America Unlimited.
Plus, depending on where you are travelling from, a potentially favourable dollar exchange rate is pushing travel costs down further.
“Actually,” says Kohlenberg, “now is the best time to travel to the US.”
Even in the 11 US World Cup host cities, average room rates on World Cup match days this summer are falling. A hotel room in New York cost an average of $464 per night when booked in April, down from $609 last year, say analysts at Lighthouse Intelligence.
But if you are staying in host cities such as New York, Miami or Los Angeles around the time of the World Cup, expect high prices – whether you are a football fan or not. That applies to food and travel by train or taxi, too.
Are tourists welcome?
“You hardly notice any of this on the ground. People are open and warm – many are actually very critical of the political situation themselves,” says Kohlenberg, who visited the country four times last year alone.
Customers also repeatedly told him they were surprised at how smoothly everything went. He speaks of a “distorted picture” between how the situation is portrayed and perceived abroad and when you are actually in the US.
Tour operators such as Dertour or Canusa Touristik say you need not fear any problems upon entry, provided you have a valid passport and have filled in the ESTA entry authorization application correctly and truthfully.
“We’ve never had anyone turned away at the border in all these years,” adds Kohlenberg.
That means the biggest challenge for many travellers is likely obtaining authorization for visa-free entry, known as the ESTA.
What do I need to know about ESTA?
This is essential to enter the country and the application process has become significantly more demanding and costly in recent years, says Alexander Braun from the Visa Service in Bonn, Germany. The price was almost doubled last year to $40.
You can submit your application on the website of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or through the ESTA mobile app (iOS and Android).
Travellers must provide personal details and answer questions about the purpose of their trip and their health. Photos of the passport and a face – as a selfie – must also be uploaded.
How long does it take to be approved?
Once everything has been completed and submitted, approval usually takes just a few hours, according to the Bonn Visa Service. You will then be notified by email.
But if your ESTA is refused, you must apply for a visa to enter the US. Depending on the consulate and available appointments, this takes around six weeks.
So if you want to give yourself time to be able to respond to a possible rejection, apply for your ESTA well in advance. Once issued, it is valid for a maximum of two years – if the linked passport expires sooner, the ESTA also expires.
What are the pitfalls when applying for ESTA?
The most important thing is to ensure the passport details are correct, according to the Bonn Visa Service. When the system reads the data from the uploaded passport photo, errors can occur.
The long list of social media platforms for which membership is requested can cause uncertainty but this is not yet a mandatory field and can currently be skipped, say Visa Service advisors. If you wish to provide details, enter your profile names but not your login details or passwords.
When you reach the security questions (point 8 in the application): if you answer any of them with "Yes," your ESTA will be rejected, says the Visa Service. That means you have no choice but to apply for a visa.
An exception applies to the question regarding travel to Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Cuba, North Korea or Sudan since March 2011 – specifically for Cuba. Here, your application will only be refused for travel from January 2021 onwards. If you travelled to the Caribbean nation before that date, tick "Yes" and then specify the exact duration of your stay and the purpose of your trip.
Do not provide false information, even if your passport does not show entry stamps for Cuba. The US authorities’ data collection system may also access passenger lists from airlines and cruise lines.
“Providing false information will, at best, lead to your application being rejected and, in the worst case, result in sanctions upon entry, including detention and deportation,” says visa specialist Braun.
What if I’m entering the US from Mexico or Canada?
Even then, you must be able to present your ESTA or a visa at the border.
What are the entry rules for Mexico and Canada?
For Mexico, which is hosting World Cup matches in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City, a valid passport is sufficient.
But if you are entering by land, you also need to have a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FFM) tourist card. Apply for it online in advance. If you are arriving by plane, you do not require this card.
To enter Canada, which is hosting World Cup matches in Toronto and Vancouver, you need a valid passport plus an entry permit. Apply for this online on the Canadian government’s website.
Unlike with the ESTA, visa services say there are no particular pitfalls when filling in the Canadian eTA.
But don't apply at the last minute as if it is rejected, you can expect long processing times. The cost of the eTA is 7 Canadian dollars (around $4.70). It is valid for up to five years, provided your passport does not expire beforehand.
