Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued an unusually blunt notice on 29 January aimed at soccer fans hoping to attend the men’s FIFA World Cup 26 matches in Toronto or Vancouver. Officials stressed that a match ticket or World Cup-related visitor visa will not provide any pathway to asylum or long-term status in Canada. Visa officers have been instructed to apply enhanced scrutiny to all applications that reference the tournament and to refuse anyone whose travel history, financial situation or social-media footprint suggests an intention to remain in Canada after the final whistle.
The warning comes amid an uptick in online advertisements—many traced to unlicensed agents in South Asia and West Africa—promising “World Cup work visas” or guaranteed refugee status on arrival. IRCC reminded applicants that the only legitimate categories for spectators are the standard Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or eTA. Border Services officers have likewise been empowered to refuse entry at airports if they suspect a visitor’s real purpose is to lodge an asylum claim.
Travellers who are unsure which visa category they need—or who simply want to make certain every form is filled out correctly—can turn to the specialists at VisaHQ. Their platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides up-to-date guidance on Canada’s TRV and eTA processes, offers document review services, and tracks IRCC advisories in real time, helping fans avoid costly mistakes and potential refusals.
![Canada warns World Cup visitors: no refugee claims, stricter visa screening]()
Canada’s démarche mirrors similar messaging from the United States and Mexico, the two co-hosts of the 2026 tournament. All three governments are anxious to avoid a repeat of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, when several dozen fans from visa-required countries filed asylum claims after matches in Montreal and Vancouver, contributing to processing backlogs.
For global-mobility managers the advice is clear: ensure any employees or clients travelling to Canada for the tournament carry solid proof of onward travel, employment ties at home and sufficient funds for the stay. Companies planning to second staff to work at hospitality pavilions must rely on the narrow FIFA-related work-permit exemption, which expires 31 July 2026 and applies only to accredited vendors, not spectators.
IRCC said it will continue to “work with partners such as airlines, travel agents and football federations” to disseminate accurate information and deter fraud. Attempting to enter Canada on the basis of false documents or misrepresentation can trigger a five-year ban on future visa applications.
The warning comes amid an uptick in online advertisements—many traced to unlicensed agents in South Asia and West Africa—promising “World Cup work visas” or guaranteed refugee status on arrival. IRCC reminded applicants that the only legitimate categories for spectators are the standard Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or eTA. Border Services officers have likewise been empowered to refuse entry at airports if they suspect a visitor’s real purpose is to lodge an asylum claim.
Travellers who are unsure which visa category they need—or who simply want to make certain every form is filled out correctly—can turn to the specialists at VisaHQ. Their platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides up-to-date guidance on Canada’s TRV and eTA processes, offers document review services, and tracks IRCC advisories in real time, helping fans avoid costly mistakes and potential refusals.
Canada’s démarche mirrors similar messaging from the United States and Mexico, the two co-hosts of the 2026 tournament. All three governments are anxious to avoid a repeat of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, when several dozen fans from visa-required countries filed asylum claims after matches in Montreal and Vancouver, contributing to processing backlogs.
For global-mobility managers the advice is clear: ensure any employees or clients travelling to Canada for the tournament carry solid proof of onward travel, employment ties at home and sufficient funds for the stay. Companies planning to second staff to work at hospitality pavilions must rely on the narrow FIFA-related work-permit exemption, which expires 31 July 2026 and applies only to accredited vendors, not spectators.
IRCC said it will continue to “work with partners such as airlines, travel agents and football federations” to disseminate accurate information and deter fraud. Attempting to enter Canada on the basis of false documents or misrepresentation can trigger a five-year ban on future visa applications.
