By News18,Ritayan Basu

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U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, expressing his hope that “countless people from all over the globe” will attend the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, both hosted by the United States.
According to preliminary U.S. government data, overseas travel to the U.S. decreased by 2.9% in August, resulting in about 3.5 million visitors. This marks the sixth month this year with a decline in travel compared to the previous year, contrary to the global tourism trend and expectations that annual inbound visitors would surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million by 2025.
Trump Invites The World To USA?
In a comprehensive speech, Trump mentioned that the United States would celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence next year.
“We will also be proudly hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and shortly thereafter, the 2028 Olympics,” he said.
“It’s going to be very exciting. I hope you all come. I hope that countless people from all over the globe will take part,” he added.
FIFA reported that over 1.5 million ticket applications from fans in 210 countries were received within 24 hours of the presale draw for the World Cup. The 48-team tournament will be hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., featuring 104 matches across 16 host cities.
However, a trip to the U.S. may be costly and complicated for many. Visitors from non-visa waiver countries face a $250 “visa integrity fee” in addition to the existing fee and long average visa wait times. The U.S. State Department data shows an average wait time of 169 days for a B-1/B-2 tourism or business visa interview. This will impact fans from countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil, which traditionally send large contingents to the World Cup.
FIFA indicated that the primary global ticket demand for the tournament came from the three host countries, followed by Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Tourists from visa-waiver countries, mostly in Europe, are exempt from the new fee, but industry experts say some are deterred by fears of being stopped at the border after several widely publicised cases.
The White House is also proposing to limit the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors, and members of the media, as per a government regulation issued in August.
The 2028 Summer Olympics is scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, California, in July 2028.
(With inputs from Reuters)