The Trump administration is creating a new system intended to help expedite visas for fans traveling to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an unprecedented move aimed at managing an expected influx of millions attending the tournament.

The new system, which President Donald Trump announced on Monday during an event at the White House, will give World Cup ticket holders priority access to U.S. visa interviews beginning in early 2026.

“I’ve directed my administration to do everything within their power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success,” Trump said from the Oval Office, where he was flanked by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and White House World Cup Task Force director Andrew Giuliani.

Under the “FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System” — or FIFA PASS — program, people who purchase tickets directly through FIFA will be able to schedule expedited interviews at U.S. consulates around the world.

However, Rubio emphasized that holding a ticket does not guarantee visa approval.

“It guarantees you an expedited appointment. You’ll still go through the same vetting process as anyone else. The only difference here is that we’re moving you up in line,” Rubio said.

Rubio said the State Department has deployed more than 400 additional consular officers worldwide to meet demand, in some countries doubling the size of existing embassy staff. He cited Brazil and Argentina, both soccer powerhouses, where visa appointment wait times have dropped from over a year to less than two months.

“In about 80 percent of the world now, you can get an appointment in under 60 days,” Rubio said.

According to FIFA’s press release, FIFA PASS is part of a larger collaboration between the organization and the White House’s World Cup Task Force, on which Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro also serves.

The administration is dedicating significant resources to ensuring the tournament’s success, and has been intensely focused on security for fans attending matches in the United States, which will host 78 of the tournament’s 104 games.

Eleven American cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami, will welcome visitors alongside venues in Mexico and Canada.

Infantino said between six and seven million tickets are expected to be sold for the expanded, 48-team tournament.

“America welcomes the world,” Infantino said. “We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history — and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that.”