With just seven days remaining to the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the White House Task Force overseeing the tournament has detailed extensive security arrangements and expedited visa procedures aimed at welcoming fans from across the globe while highlighting American exceptionalism.
Speaking during a press briefing at the U.S. Department of State’s Miami Media Hub on Thursday, June 4th, 2026, Executive Director Andrew Giuliani described the tournament, which will span 11 U.S. host cities and feature 78 matches, as the most watched sporting event in history.
“This will be viewed as anything ever, over America’s 250th birthday. What an amazing time it is to be able to show off American exceptionalism and invite the world to come celebrate our 250th birthday with us,” Giuliani said.Andrew Giuliani (Executive Director for the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026)
Security arrangements will reflect Super Bowl-level standards, including multiple perimeter ticket screenings and counter-UAS (drone) protection at all 78 matches and fan festivals across the 11 host cities, a significant increase from only five such events held last year.
Giuliani highlighted $625 million in federal law enforcement funding and a $500 million counter-UAS allocation under the One Big Beautiful Bill, alongside new legal authority granted through the Safer Skies Act allowing deputized state and local officers to respond to drone threats.
On visa processing, he pointed to substantial reductions in waiting times from 700 days to less than a month in Brazil and from 300 days to under two weeks in Argentina as well as the introduction of the FIFA Pass, which places ticket holders at the front of the queue for B-1/B-2 appointments without exempting them from security screening.
“If you have a ticket to this World Cup, it gets you to the front of the queue,” Giuliani noted, while stressing that legal pathways remain open for all eligible fans except those from Iran and Haiti due to overstay concerns.
He encouraged ticket holders to arrive early to accommodate layered security procedures and advised supporters without tickets to take part in fan festivals and city-wide activations.
Giuliani also noted that the tournament will include 4,547 complimentary tickets for U.S. military veterans and first responders.
