What visas do I need to watch England in the World Cup in USA, Mexico and Canada?

If you’re planning to travel to the United States, Canada or Mexico to watch England in next year’s World Cup, do you need visas and how do you get them? Find out everything here.

We’ve compiled the ultimate explainer for all England fans plotting their World Cup travels in 2026. Unsure how things work when it comes to visas and travel documents? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s absolutely everything that England fans need to know about travelling to the 2026 World Cup.

Do I need a visa to go to the USA for the World Cup?

If you’re a British citizen travelling to the United States, it will be business as usual. If you’ve travelled to the United States in the past, the process will be the same.

UK passport holders are eligible to travel to the USA for tourism or business for up to 90 days – which covers the entire duration of the World Cup, plus a decent chunk of time before or after if you’re so inclined.

While Brits aren’t required to obtain a traditional visa, they are required to obtain an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program.

It’s also worth noting that if you have travelled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011, you will not be eligible for an ESTA and will be required to obtain a traditional tourist visa from the U.S. embassy. The same applies to Cuba if you’ve travelled there since January 2021.

If you have any other concerns about your eligibility for an ESTA, it’s worth consulting the full guidelines on the UK Government’s official website.

The ESTA application fee is approximately $21, which includes a $4 processing fee and a $17 authorisation fee. Most applications are processed within 48 hours.

An ESTA is valid for two years from the date it is approved, or until your passport expires (whichever comes first).

Do I need a separate visa for Canada and Mexico?

Similar to the United States, UK citizens aren’t required to obtain a traditional visa if they’re planning on visiting Canada for a stay shorter than six months.

If you’re flying into Canada, you will likely require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). It costs $7 (CAN).

Be wary of fake websites offering eTAs and make sure you’re only obtaining it from an official source.

You do not need an eTA if you’re travelling from land or sea – i.e. if you’re going to the United States first, and crossing the border, although you must have a valid passport and travel documents.

If you’re visiting Mexico for tourism, you do not need a visa. You’ll get a stamp in your passport specifying the number of days you’re allowed to stay.

However, if you are entering Mexico by land – i.e. planning on crossing the border from the United States – then you must fill in an immigration form.

How do I get visas?

All three host nations don’t require a visa as such for most British nationals travelling as tourists, but you will likely require other documentation.

For the United States, you can apply for an ESTA via the Official ESTA Application Website or using the ESTA Mobile app on Android or iOS.

For Canada, their eTA can be obtained via the Canadian government’s website.

The immigration form you’ll need if you’re planning on crossing into Mexico via the border can be found on the Mexican government’s official website.

Is there a World Cup-specific visa for all three countries?

At the time of writing, there is no official “fan visa” announced yet for the 2026 World Cup.

Discussions are reportedly ongoing to make the visa process as streamlined as possible for international fans. It’s worth checking back to see whether anything changes ahead of the tournament kicking off.

How long does it take for visas to be approved?

For the United States, most ESTA applications are processed within 48 hours.

However, they’re valid for up to two years, so if your passport is valid beyond the 2026 World Cup, this is one piece of admin you can tick off nice and early if you’re so inclined. There’s no need to leave it last minute.

For Canada, most eTA applications are approved within minutes. Some requests may take several days to process, and you’ll receive an email within 72 hours in the unlikely event that additional information or a visa interview is required.

The immigration form for Mexico – if planning on entering via land – is usually processed very quickly.

Can I travel between countries to watch World Cup games?

Yes.

If you’re a British national you ought to have no issues crossing the border from the United States into Mexico and Canada or vice versa.

You will, of course, be required to have your passport when travelling between the countries and there will be the usual passport and border controls.

What if I’ve not got a UK passport?

You must have a passport in order to travel to the United States, Canada or Mexico.

If you do have a passport but not a UK one, consult whether your citizenship is part of the same Visa Waiver Program (WVP) in which the ESTA rules, outlined above, apply.

Most (but not all) European nations – including the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal – are part of the WVP, as well as other nations around the world including Israel, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Qatar.

The full list of WVP nations can be found on the US Department of State’s official website.

It’s similar for Canada’s eTA, with a similar list of visa-exempt nations.

Other countries require different visa requirements. For example, citizens of India, Nigeria and China cannot travel to the United States on an ESTA.

Where are England playing their games?

As of now, the official match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has not been released.

The final draw is expected to take place in December 2025, at which point the specific dates and venues for England’s matches will be announced.

The dates and venues for all the group-stage and knockout games have already been pencilled in, so the three host nations know where and when they’ll be playing their group stage outings (if not the opponents).

But at this stage, it’s far too early to speculate which group Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions will find themselves in, should they qualify.

We’ll update this section with detailed information once the full information is available.