Nearly 45 Percent of World Cup Visitor Visa Applications to Canada Were Refused

Immigration officials approved 26,000 visitor visas, including applications from FIFA-invited staff. They also refused 20,845 visa applications, a refusal rate of about 44.49 percent. 205 electronic travel authorization (ETA) applications were also refused. The football world cup tournament, which ended on July 19, 2026, saw Canada host 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver. A deep dive into visa application and refusal numbers showed significant disparity in approval rates by country.

Key Takeaways

• IRCC refused 44.49 percent of all World Cup visitor visa applications.
• Ghana and Nigeria alone accounted for over 5,100 refusals.
• Switzerland and FIFA staff saw 100 percent approval, unlike most countries.
• African countries accounted for 80 of the 175 total asylum claims made by visitors who stated the FIFA World Cup as their reason for visiting.

Ghana and Nigeria Saw Large Application Volumes and High Refusal Rates

Ghana’s national football team defeated Panama in their opening Group L match in Toronto on June 17. Unfortunately, only a few Ghanian fans were around to see their team win. Of the 3,605 visitor visa applications from Ghana for the World Cup, IRCC approved only 470. The department refused 3,135, a refusal rate of about 87 percent.

Nigeria’s applications followed a similar pattern. Of 2,185 applications, 220 were approved and 1,965 were refused, an approval rate of roughly 10 percent.

Senegal and Ivory Coast, whose teams also played in Toronto, saw fewer visa applications, but high refusal rates. Senegal had 60 of 370 applications approved, an 83 percent refusal rate. Ivory Coast had 35 of 125 approved, a refusal rate of 72 percent.

Egypt’s national team played in Vancouver on June 21. Of 1,090 visitor visa applications from Egyptian nationals, 475 were approved, an approval rate of roughly 43 percent.

Applicants from Sierra Leone submitted 50 applications, all of which were refused.

Latin American Countries Saw Mixed Outcomes

Mexico co-hosted the tournament alongside Canada and the United States, but 440 of its 725 visitor visa applications were refused, a refusal rate of over 60 percent.

Between 2016 and 2024, Mexican nationals could enter Canada on an ETA, which was much easier to get than a visitor visa. However, following an increase in unfounded asylum claims, Canada reintroduced the visa requirement in February 2024.

Panamanian nationals using ETAs were approved at a rate of about 98 percent, with 2,005 of 2,045 applications approved. Panamanian nationals who applied for visitor visas saw a 68 percent approval rate, with 170 of 250 approved.

Colombian applicants saw a higher approval rate than most countries. Of 2,610 applications, 1,795 were approved and 815 refused, an approval rate of about 69 percent.

Although Ecuador’s team did not play any matches in Canada, 600 Ecuadorian nationals still applied for TRVs. Of those, 400 were approved, an approval rate of about 67 percent.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India Had High Refusal Rates

Pakistan and Bangladesh did not have teams in the tournament. Their nationals still applied for temporary resident visas (TRVs) in large numbers, likely due to fan interest or diaspora connections to some of the countries that were playing.

Pakistanis submitted 2,440 applications, of which 195 were approved and 2,245 were refused, an approval rate of only 8 percent. Bangladesh had 925 applications, with 120 approved, an approval rate of about 13 percent.

Indian nationals applied in large numbers as well, despite not having a team representing the country in the World Cup. Indians saw almost 2,000 applications refused, against 665 approvals — an approval rate of around 25 percent.

Switzerland and FIFA-Invited Staff Had a 100 Percent Approval Rate

Not every group faced the same odds. All 210 ETA applications from Swiss nationals were approved. All 2,795 applications from FIFA-invited staff, including referees and tournament workers, were also approved.

A Small Share of Approved Visitors Later Filed Asylum Claims

Despite the thorough vetting of TRV applications by IRCC, and warnings by the department that applications would not be approved if applicants could not demonstrate intent to return home, some approved visitors did claim asylum after entering Canada.

Among the 175 total asylum claims linked to World Cup visitor visa applications, African countries accounted for the largest identifiable share. Ghana recorded 25 claims, Egypt 15, Kenya 15, Senegal 10, Nigeria 10, and Burundi 5, adding up to 80 claims from African countries alone.

These numbers also aligned with IRCC scrutiny patterns. Ghana and Nigeria, two of the African countries with the highest asylum claim counts, also had among the lowest approval rates, at about 13 percent and 10 percent respectively. Burundi’s numbers stand out: all 5 Burundian nationals approved for a visa went on to claim asylum — a 100 percent rate.

Some successful visa applicants from Asian countries also made asylum claims. Bangladesh and China each recorded 10 claims, Pakistan and Nepal each recorded 5. Bangladesh and Pakistan were both among the countries with refusal rates above 85 percent, again pointing to correlation between stricter visa outcomes and asylum claims.

There were a couple of notable exceptions. Colombia and Ecuador both had high approval rates at about 69 percent and 67 percent respectively, yet each still recorded asylum claims, 15 from Colombia and 5 from Ecuador.