The Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada has announced an increase in scrutiny of visa applications submitted by football fans planning to attend the World Cup this year. This decision has been made to prevent an increase in the number of asylum seekers, as reported by the Globe and Mail.
According to information provided by the department, "The Ministry is carefully analyzing visa applications from fans to avoid situations where individuals might use the championship as a pretext to request asylum," the article notes.
Tourists who have purchased tickets for the matches may face visa or entry denials if authorities have doubts about their intentions to return home after the tournament concludes.
Ministry representative Isabelle Dubois stated that "the department will closely monitor potential asylum claims related to FIFA events... FIFA tournaments are not a legitimate way to obtain asylum."
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 and will be the first tournament featuring 48 national teams.
