The wait time for American visa appointments in Morocco has been reduced from 10 months to just two months, in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House World Cup Task Force, announced Wednesday in Washington.
“This represents a reduction of over 80%” compared to the wait times recorded in November 2024 for Moroccans seeking to travel to the United States, Giuliani said during a press conference held on the eve of the World Cup draw scheduled for Friday in the US capital.
Highlighting Morocco’s role as a co-host for the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain, Giuliani welcomed the shorter visa processing times, noting that they would benefit fans of the Moroccan national team planning to travel to the US next summer for the tournament.
The measure complements a recently announced system of priority visa interview slots for holders of 2026 World Cup tickets (FIFA Pass), introduced by former President Donald Trump.
Giuliani added that the US State Department has recruited over 450 additional staff to facilitate and speed up the visa process, particularly for nationals of countries qualified for the 2026 tournament, “the largest sporting event in US history.”
Approximately 300,000 additional visa appointment slots have been made available to qualifying countries, with projections suggesting that several million slots will be offered by the start of next year.
The US expects between 5 and 7 million international visitors for the global sporting event, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with matches taking place across the US, Mexico, and Canada, Giuliani concluded.
MWN with MAP
