The 2026 World Cup has an accessibility problem, and a $15,000 deposit is the latest proof of it.
Fans from Algeria, Senegal, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia are being asked to post bond payments of up to $15,000 to secure tourist visas for the five-week tournament in the United States. That's before flights, accommodation, or a ticket — and those aren't cheap either. A separate fans' group has already filed a complaint to the European Commission over FIFA's "sky-high" ticket pricing. The costs are stacking up fast.
Cape Verde are making their World Cup debut. Their fans deserve to be there. Whether they can afford to is a different question entirely.
FIFA Is Pushing Back — But Only So Far
The bond payments are refundable, provided visa holders leave the States on schedule. Small comfort when you're trying to find $15,000 up front. FIFA is lobbying the Trump administration to waive the requirement for players and official delegations — because yes, squad members could technically be subject to the same demands. The hope is that formal invitation letters from competing nations act as waivers for footballers and staff.
Supporters, however, are not expected to receive any exemptions. The U.S. State Department says it is "engaging robustly with FIFA" to deliver the greatest World Cup in history. It's a fine line to walk when fans of five competing nations need a five-figure deposit just to get through the door.
This sits alongside an existing travel ban affecting several qualifying nations — Iran among them. Players and relatives of players are cleared to attend, but FIFA still cannot guarantee that Iranian supporters will be permitted entry at all. Gianni Infantino has called this the "most inclusive" World Cup ever. The evidence is pointing in a different direction.
MLS Moves Fast on Salah
Within hours of Liverpool confirming Mohamed Salah's departure from Anfield, MLS commissioner Don Garber had already said the quiet part loud. "I'd love to see him in our league," Garber told reporters. "I couldn't say that until he announced he was leaving Liverpool. We'd provide him with a great platform."
That's not a courtesy comment. MLS has form here. When they brought Lionel Messi to Inter Miami in 2023, Apple helped fund the deal because the commercial upside was considered transformative. Salah turning 34 in June and carrying some statistical decline doesn't change what his name means globally.
San Diego, despite earlier speculation, have confirmed they won't be pursuing a deal. But the market is wider than one club. Miami and LA Galaxy are already in talks to sign Casemiro this summer — at 34, leaving Manchester United — which tells you everything about where MLS currently sits in the pecking order for high-profile veterans. Salah's odds of ending up in North America are shortening by the week, and any club landing him would immediately shift the commercial and competitive landscape of the league.
- Fans from Algeria, Senegal, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia face bonds of up to $15,000 for U.S. tourist visas
- Bond payments are refundable if visa holders exit the U.S. on time — but must be paid upfront
- FIFA is seeking waivers for players and officials, but supporters are not expected to be exempt
- MLS commissioner Don Garber has publicly confirmed interest in signing Salah
- San Diego have ruled themselves out; Miami and Galaxy are separately pursuing Casemiro
"We'd provide him with a great platform" is Garber doing his best professional restraint. The cogs are already turning — loudly.
