Visa delays threaten U.S. sporting events

28-09-24

Delays in visa processing for the United States threaten to impact global sporting events such as the 2026 Soccer World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games. In countries such as Colombia, the wait to obtain a visa can reach 690 days. Against this backdrop, the U.S. Travel Association has pointed out that this delay could severely impact international attendance, which would also impact the economy generated by such events. U.S. Senators have urged the government to streamline processes to ensure the success of these events.

Expanding on this information, the delay in processing is not only a concern for the events themselves, but also reflects a growing trend in the negative experience of international visitors upon arrival in the United States. Excessive waits at airports, particularly at customs such as those at JFK in New York, underscore the country's lack of preparedness to handle large flows of travelers.

The 2026 World Cup, which will be the largest in U.S. history, along with the 2028 Olympic Games, represent not only sporting events, but an opportunity for the tourism industry, which could see its projection affected if immediate measures are not taken to reduce these wait times. It is estimated that both events would generate approximately US$10 billion in economic activity, but only if the entry of the more than 5 million expected visitors can be facilitated.

The central concern is not only the need for visas, but the entire system for receiving tourists, including customs procedures and the airport experience. For Freeman, the success of this “decade of sporting events” is at stake if adequate measures are not taken to manage the massive influx of tourists. Legislators, for their part, are calling for priority to be given to improving visa processing times to avoid a drop in international participation.

This scenario reveals a problem that affects not only sports tourists, but any international visitor seeking to enter the United States, making access increasingly difficult and generating widespread concern among tourism sectors and organizers of major events.

This situation has also generated debate in public opinion, as many argue that without a substantial improvement, these events, which should be a great success for the United States, could be marred by inefficient logistics that would deter thousands of potential visitors.