How Trump's Visa Freeze May Jeopardise Economy, World Cup

With effect from January 21, 2026, citizens of 75 countries will no longer be able to process visa applications to the United States (US), which may jeopardise its economy and have immediate consequences on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

President Donald Trump recently announced an indefinite suspension to strengthen his administration’s protectionist agenda with the aim to pause immigrant visa processing from countries “whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.”

FIFA World Cup

Among the 75 affected countries, 15 have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

The premier international football tournament is scheduled to start on Thursday, June 11 and end on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

It remains unclear whether football players will receive exemptions, while coaching staff, officials, and fans could face major difficulties entering the US.

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The 15 countries that qualified for the World Cup that are affected include Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Algeria, Cape Verde, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Senegal, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, and Uruguay. [See full list of the 75 countries at the end of the report]

Football fans from these countries may be unable to attend, potentially disrupting World Cup attendance plans.

Already, around 17,900 fans have reportedly cancelled tickets amid FIFA’s strict no-cancellation policy.

The world football body estimates that between 5.5 and 6.5 million supporters are expected to travel for the tournament. This could make it the most-attended World Cup in history, surpassing the 3.6 million fans at the 1994 tournament.

Already, over 2 million tickets were said to have been sold in early phases, and during the Random Selection Draw ticket sales from December 11, 2025, to January 13, 2026, FIFA received over 500 million ticket requests.

“Half a billion ticket requests in just over a month is more than demand – it’s a global statement.

“On behalf of FIFA, I would like to thank and congratulate football fans everywhere for this extraordinary response,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

With 7.1 million available seats across 104 matches to be played, of which the US is to host 78 matches, the expanded 48-team format across 16 venues is expected to draw unprecedented crowds.

Initially, FIFA planned ticket prices up to $8,680, but after criticism, agreed to offer $60 tickets for all games to the 48 national federations participating.

Fallout of visa ban

Analysts warn that Trump’s visa freeze could have far-reaching consequences for the US economy and the global tourism sector.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), international visitor spending in the US was projected to fall to just under $169 billion in 2025, down from $181 billion in 2024. This represented a potential $12.5 billion loss.

Pinnacle Daily can recall that in June last year, the Trump administration announced a travel ban that targeted 19 countries.

In 2019, international visitors generated $217.4 billion in revenue and supported nearly 18 million jobs across the US.

According to the WTTC report, travel and tourism contributed $2.6 trillion to the economy last year, supporting over 20 million jobs and producing more than $585 billion in tax revenue, almost 7 per cent of all government income.

“This is a wake-up call for the U.S. government. The world’s biggest Travel & Tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” said WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson.

Simpson added, “Without urgent action to restore international traveller confidence, it could take several years for the U.S. just to return to pre-pandemic levels of international visitor spend, not even the peak from 10 years ago. This is about growth in the U.S. economy – it is doable, but it needs leadership from DC.”

Domestic travel

Findings show that in 2024, nearly 90 per cent of all tourism spending came from domestic travel, masking the US’s reliance on international visitors.

According to the US Department of Commerce, there is a sharp drop in inbound travel from key markets, including the United Kingdom, where arrivals fell nearly 15 per cent, Germany, down over 28 per cent, and South Korea, nearly 15 per cent.

Spain, Colombia, Ireland, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic also saw double-digit declines ranging from 24 per cent to 33 per cent.

Putting it into perspective

Data from last year showed that foreign visitor numbers to the US fell by about 6 per cent compared with the previous year, despite growth in global tourism spending, a trend that could worsen following the recent travel ban on 75 countries.

International tourism declined for at least eight consecutive months into late 2025, signalling a sustained weakening of inbound travel, and the freezing of visa processes could cost the US economy billions of dollars in lost tourism revenue.

An estimated $12.5 billion drop in international travel spending was recorded in 2025 compared with previous years, and the new restrictions risk further reducing arrivals from key markets such as the UK, Germany, South Korea, and Canada.

Canada, traditionally one of the largest sources of US visitors, has already seen sharp declines in bookings, with surveys pointing to widespread trip cancellations, while European arrivals also recorded notable year-on-year falls.

Industry observers attribute the slowdown to policy uncertainty, stricter entry procedures, and political rhetoric that may be dampening international interest in the US.

Travel experts also cite visa processing changes and negative perceptions as factors undermining the country’s competitiveness as a global destination.

Although domestic travel in the US has remained relatively strong and often exceeds pre-pandemic levels, the persistent lag in international arrivals is weighing on overall tourism performance.

Tourism-dependent destinations such as Las Vegas are already feeling the impact, with fewer foreign visitors affecting local businesses and employment, underscoring how the decline in overseas travel continues to slow overall tourism growth despite resilient domestic demand.