Kristi Noem doesn’t want you to overstay your welcome. The DHS Secretary spoke about how America is “excited” to welcome tourists who also leave in a “timely manner.” Here’s the message the 53-year-old delivered to tourists.
The United States is one of the several North American countries that will host FIFA matches next year. The 48-team tournament will be concluded on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump, DHS is working to secure the greatest sporting event ever hosted—the FIFA World Cup 2026.
We want EVERY American and FIFA fan visiting the U.S. on a tourist visa to enjoy this historic event and travel home safely in a timely manner. pic.twitter.com/MerkLsPto4
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) November 17, 2025
Noem, during a press conference on Monday, spoke about the influx of tourists that America is expecting during the FIFA matches. She was flanked by President Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the announcement.
“With Marco’s leadership at the State Department, [we’re] making sure that these people that come in on these tourist visas are coming in thoroughly vetted,” the 53-year-old noted.
She encouraged the tourists to come and enjoy the country and then go home. “And go in a timely manner,” she added while emphasizing. Then the DHS Secretary pointed out that the Trump administration is overall excited about the whole deal.
Noem also addressed Infantino and noted how excited the administration is to partner up with FIFA. She expressed hope that visitors would fall in love with the United States and the game of soccer through their visit.
During the same conference, President Trump revealed that World Cup ticket holders will be placed high in priority when it comes to U.S. visa interviews. “I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success,” he declared.
The 79-year-old also shared how his administration will be launching the ‘FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System’ to gear up for the tournament. The FIFA PASS will also enable people to buy a ticket, as well as schedule their visa interviews at their local U.S. consulates.
Rubio added a warning that a visa appointment and actually getting the visa aren’t mutually exclusive. “It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’ll still go through the same vetting process as anyone else,” he noted.
WORLD CUP WARNING: Secretary Marco Rubio reminds travelers heading to the FIFA World Cup: “Your ticket is not a visa.” pic.twitter.com/7EV66mVQ8b
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 17, 2025
The State Secretary pointed out how the new changes simply mean that you’ll be moving up in line. Rubio also revealed that about 400 new consular officers were appointed worldwide to deal with the increased number of visa applications.
He shared how in about 80% of the world, it has been made possible to get a visa appointment within 60 days. “If you have a ticket for the World Cup, you can have prioritized appointments to get your visa,” the FIFA President added.
