The United States announced a relaxation of its visa bond policy for certain football fans and team members traveling to attend the upcoming World Cup. The policy adjustment, confirmed by the US State Department on Wednesday, exempts players and officials of participating teams, as well as ticket-holding fans from those countries who register under the priority visa system, from paying the bond. The decision follows earlier requirements under President Donald Trump’s immigration control initiative, which mandated citizens of 50 developing nations to deposit between $5,000 and $15,000 as a refundable bond when applying for US visas.

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Morah Namdar said the move aims to facilitate legitimate travel for the tournament while maintaining national security priorities. A FIFA spokesperson welcomed the decision, citing continued cooperation with the US government and the White House task force to ensure a successful global event.

The World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, begins on June 11. Several participating nations, including Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia, were previously subject to the bond requirement, while citizens of Haiti and Iran remain under broader US entry restrictions.