175 FIFA World Cup Visitors Seek Asylum in Canada, Nigerians Among Applicants

A total of 175 foreign nationals who travelled to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum, with Nigerians among those seeking refugee protection after the global football tournament.

Canadian immigration authorities confirmed that the applications were submitted by visitors who entered the country during the competition, which Canada co-hosted with the United States and Mexico.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), all the applicants identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors when they submitted their temporary residence applications.

Official figures released by the department show that Ghana recorded the highest number of asylum claims, with 25 visitors applying for refugee protection after the tournament.

Egypt and Colombia each accounted for 15 claims, while Senegal recorded 10. Ecuador, one of the countries whose national team featured in matches hosted in Canada, registered five asylum applications.

Among visitors from countries that did not qualify for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup but travelled to Canada during the tournament, Kenya recorded the highest number of claims with 15 applicants. China, Bangladesh and Nigeria each accounted for 10 asylum claims, while Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan registered five applications each.

The immigration department also disclosed that a further five asylum claims were lodged by travellers who entered Canada using electronic travel authorisations instead of temporary resident visas.

Responding to enquiries about the figures, the IRCC said that, as of 20 July 2026, 175 of the 26,111 individuals whose temporary residence applications had been approved under the FIFA World Cup programme had subsequently sought asylum.

The department explained that the figures only covered applicants who specifically indicated “FIFA World Cup 26” in their temporary residence applications.

Officials added that the number of asylum claims could still rise if more visitors overstayed their visas and later applied for refugee protection.

Canada staged 13 matches of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto and Vancouver as one of the tournament’s three host nations, alongside the United States and Mexico. More than 26,000 visas were issued to visitors connected with the competition.