Myriam Monrat, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, has called on Ghanaians planning to travel to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to submit their visa applications as soon as possible.
The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana revealed they are working with their co-hosts to ensure a seamless experience for visitors.
Speaking regarding the preparations for the World Cup, Myriam Monrat stated, “We are working very closely with our colleagues in the US and Mexico to ensure cohesion and coherence in how we approach the World Cup”.
“My advice for people interested in attending the World Cup is to submit their visa applications as early as possible. The best way is to go directly to the source to avoid scammers.
“Our objective is to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. We anticipate high demand, hence my recommendation to put in an application as soon as possible,” she added.
In related news, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reminded football fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup tournament in the U.S that their match-day ticket are not visas.
According to Marco Rubio, match day tickets do not guarantee football fans admission into the U.S.
He revealed that the US will prioritise visa interviews for ticket-holding fans.
Rubio noted that fans who secure priority status could get an interview date within six to eight weeks, instead of waiting many months.
The last two World Cups in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) saw a match ticket automatically generate a Fan ID used like a visa; the US, however, will not adopt the same system.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Marco Rubio stated, “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US,” Rubio said. “We’re going to do the same vetting as anybody else would get. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.”
He made this known during the announcement of the new FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (PASS).
President Donald Trump, during the event, stated, “FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (PASS) will allow World Cup ticket-holders with long wait times to opt with FIFA for a prioritised interview”.
Also, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who joined Trump and Rubio during the announcement, stated, “With this FIFA Pass, we can make sure that those who buy a ticket, who are legitimate football fans or soccer fans, they can come and attend the World Cup in the best conditions, starting from getting their visa”.
Gianni Infantino revealed he estimates about 10 million visitors could travel to the US for the global event.
“The letter is publicly available and clearly shows that I never sought to stop any development initiative,” Mr Asenso-Boakye said.