Official says task force focused on visa process and providing 2026 World Cup host cities resources to ensure security
Giuliani aims to ensure security resources for sites, campsHopes to streamline visa process for fansGiuliani looks to support host cities with reimbursementsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
Andrew Giuliani stressed his aim is to ensure the focus at the 2026 World Cup is on the pitch, not aspects off of it.
In May, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Giuliani as executive director of the 2026 World Cup task force, with the goal of ensuring fans traveling to North America for the competition will have a seamless and safe experience. Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, previously served in Trump’s first administration.
"The way I look at success is, I want what people talking about on July 20 next year to be about what happens on the field, not something off the field. If we can do that, then I think the task force has accomplished its goals," Giuliani said in a wide-ranging interview with Sports Business Journal.
Giuliani said the task force is streamlining the visa process for global visitors and providing host cities in the U.S. with additional resources to make sure they have enough security and resources for the event.
"More than anything, it’s making sure state and locals have the resources that they need to protect the sites, the fan-fests and the 48 different base camps around the country," he said. "That’s why when we look at the visa process here, it’s key that we’re welcoming the world without sacrificing our national security and our footprint here."
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The world will be watching as United States – one of three host nations in the upcoming 2026 World Cup, along with Mexico and Canada – prepares for next summer's event. More than 6.5 million fans are expected to attend the World Cup across the three countries, with 3.7 million expected to travel for the tournament.
Despite FIFA's President Gianni Infantino stressing the world will be welcome at the event, the sport's governing body was called out by Human Rights Watch over the country's policies.
"FIFA must establish clear benchmarks and timelines for U.S. immigration policy changes needed to ensure respect for the rights of players, fans, and other participants in the World Cup," Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden said in a letter to FIFA.
Giuliani stressed the White House has improved the visa process since creating the task force.
"First and foremost, some of the results that we can point to already are the wait times in four soccer-enthusiastic countries," he said. "Mexico’s wait time was over 800 days a year ago. That number is less than 275 days. We’ve got some work to do to get that number even lower, but that’s why the State Department is telling people to apply early. We put it back within the timeline of the World Cup, and we want to keep it within that timeline of the World Cup."
He also said there has been $625 million earmarked for security as a recent of recent legislation. Giuliani said the task force will work closely with the 11 host committees in the U.S. to ensure cities have the right security resources.
"The plan right now is through the host committees. We’re working on a reimbursement plan so that we can verify the money is used for safety and security as the host committees projected to Congress and to the White House," Giuliani said. "As long as they submit the receipts that show that it’s for 'X' amount of overtime for law enforcement or it’s for 'X' equipment that’s used specifically for the World Cup, then we are happy to reimburse that."
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Giuliani pointed to the World Cup being a massive boost for the sports business community in America.
"This is the largest sporting event ever hosted, and I think obviously the sports business world is going to play a huge role in maximizing this," he said, "not just for the American fans that are here, not just for the 7-or 8-year-old that’s going to watch their first World Cup game, but also for the international visitor here that is just learning about the United States of America. The sports business world is going to play a huge role in maximizing this World Cup in so many different facets."
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The U.S. will host 60 of the 104 matches, including every game from the quarterfinals onward.