The United States Embassy in Accra has opened thousands of additional non-immigrant visa appointment slots as preparations gather pace for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The move is aimed at easing travel for Ghanaians planning to visit the United States ahead of the tournament, which the U.S., Canada and Mexico will co-host.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi 97.3 FM on Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026, the Press Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Matthew Asada, said the embassy had taken steps to ensure a smooth visa application process following Ghana’s qualification for the World Cup.
“We’re really excited about hosting this tournament along with Canada and Mexico. It’s going to be the largest World Cup ever.
“To make sure we have enough officers to adjudicate visa applications worldwide, the U.S. Department of State has deployed about 450 additional consular officers to embassies and consulates.
Now that Ghana has qualified and we know they’ll be playing in Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia, we’ve opened thousands of additional non-immigrant visa appointment slots here at Embassy Accra, with availability starting as early as this week.”
He explained that the newly opened slots are not limited to football fans alone but apply to all categories of non-immigrant visa applicants.
These appointments are for any non-immigrant visa travellers. Whether it’s a B1 or B2 visa for tourism, the World Cup, visiting family, or a business meeting, these appointments are available
He, however, stressed the importance of applicants being properly prepared for their interviews.
For any visa appointment, it’s important that the person applying has the materials to explain to the officer what they’re doing and their intended purpose of travel
So if they’re going for a concert, if they’re going to the World Cup, or they’re going for a business meeting, they need to have the requisite documents to be able to explain that, if asked, or to produce something further.
Applicants have been encouraged to visit the official visa appointment website to check available dates and schedule their interviews.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Ghana set to play their opening match of the tournament against Panama on June 17.
