NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 9 – Kenyan football fans planning to travel to Canada for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been warned that possessing a match ticket does not guarantee automatic entry into the country.
As the historic 48-team tournament kicks off this week, Canadian immigration and diplomatic officials have urged prospective travelers to apply for visas early, stressing that all visitors must meet standard immigration requirements before being allowed entry.
Speaking during the Capital in the Morning show on Tuesday, Migration Program Manager Julia Goracke cautioned that many travelers mistakenly assume World Cup tickets automatically permit access into host countries.
“I want to emphasize that if you have a match ticket, that does not guarantee you entry to the country. You need to apply for a visa to enter Canada,” Goracke said.
She further clarified that there is no unified visa arrangement for the three co-hosting nations — Canada, the United States and Mexico.
“There’s no joint visa for the tournament. If you have a visa to go to the US, and you’re planning to come to Canada, you still need to apply for a visa to Canada,” she added.
Goracke urged travelers to submit applications immediately due to the anticipated surge in demand as the tournament begins.
“Our message is apply early. That means now, because the tournament is starting this week,” she said.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks the first time the global football tournament will feature 48 teams and be jointly hosted by three countries.
Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya Joshua Tabah noted that while the United States and Mexico have previously hosted the World Cup, this will be Canada’s first time serving as a host nation.
Toronto and Vancouver will host 13 matches during the tournament.
Tabah said Canada is relying on existing infrastructure and stadiums rather than constructing new venues.
“In Canada, we already had the stadiums. We have world-class facilities,” he said.
“That’s not even our largest stadium in Toronto, but it’s the best one for football matches. We added some additional bleachers to increase the seating there.”
According to Tabah, Toronto’s stadium capacity has been expanded to approximately 45,000 seats as authorities prepare for increased international arrivals.
“It was just about refining what we already do in Canada; making sure the security systems were ready for the increased number of visitors, making sure the transport and logistics were going to be smooth, the airport arrivals,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Canadian men’s national football team is aiming to secure its first-ever FIFA World Cup match victory.
Canada opens its Group B campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday before facing Qatar on June 19.
However, the team will be without star captain Alphonso Davies for the opening match after the Bayern Munich defender suffered a recurring left hamstring injury.
Despite the setback, Canada hopes to progress beyond the group stage and potentially reach the round of 16 under the tournament’s expanded format.
Due to the time difference between Kenya and North America, most matches are expected to kick off around 10pm East African Time, with the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi planning to host watch parties for football fans during the tournament.
