Over 70% Of Indian FIFA World Cup Visa Applications Rejected By Canada: Report

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 17:26 IST

Over 70% of Canada visitor visas for Indians seeking to attend the FIFA World Cup were rejected, IRCC denies any special FIFA visa and warns against fraudulent immigration agents.

More than 70 per cent of visitor visa applications filed by Indians seeking to travel to Canada for the ongoing FIFA World Cup were rejected, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Of the 1,225 applications filed by Indians, only 355 were approved, a clearance rate of around 29 per cent, while the rest were rejected, according to an analysis of IRCC data by Canadian broadcaster CTV News.

Overall, Canadian immigration authorities processed nearly 17,000 visitor visa applications linked to the World Cup between November 15 last year and March 31 this year. Only 41 per cent of those applications were approved.

India Fourth In Number Of Applications

India was the fourth-largest source of World Cup-related visa applications for Canada during the period under review.

Ghana recorded the highest number of applications at 1,725, though fewer than 11 per cent were approved. Colombia was second with 1,630 applications, with nearly 70 per cent receiving approval.

Pakistan ranked third with 1,250 applications, but only 102 applicants — less than nine per cent — were granted visas.

Canada To Host 13 World Cup Matches

Canada is co-hosting the FIFA World Cup with the United States and Mexico. The country is scheduled to stage 13 matches across Toronto and Vancouver.

Canadian authorities had earlier warned prospective visitors against misleading social-media posts and immigration agents claiming that a special “FIFA visa" could allow World Cup visitors to work or settle in Canada.

No Special FIFA Visa, Canada Warns

IRCC has said there is no separate FIFA visa or special visitor visa for the tournament that permits holders to work or settle in Canada.

Visitors travelling for World Cup matches must apply for a regular visitor visa or an electronic travel authorisation, depending on their nationality, and must leave Canada when their authorised stay ends.

The department has also cautioned applicants against agents who guarantee visa approvals, warning that inaccurate documents or false information could result in a five-year ban.

Some immigration agents have promoted World Cup travel as a route to settle in Canada, despite official warnings that the tournament does not create any special immigration pathway.

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