- Tourists could face $15,000 bond and social media checks to head to the US
The first opportunity for English and Scottish football fans to bag tickets for next year’s World Cup presents itself today, when the main FIFA ballot opens at 4pm this afternoon.
However, lovers of the beautiful game – and indeed anyone planning a holiday to the US in the near future – could face jumping through hoops to get into the US, including presenting a ‘clean’ social media history.
Proposals announced by US Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday, via a ‘mandatory’ notice published in the Federal Register, will make life much harder for tourists hoping to take in trips to America’s show-stopping cities, theme parks and natural wonders.
Overseas travellers, including from the UK, could soon be required to make every post they’ve made on social media in the last five years open to scrutiny, with any hint of anti-American sentiment likely to land them in hot water with border officials.
The controversial plan follows other recent proposals, including asking tourists to pay a $15,000 bond to guarantee they won’t overstay their 90-day tourist visas.
People entering the US will also be asked to provide email addresses, phone numbers and information on their family members in order to achieve safe passage.
The notice stated that the American public will have 60 days to provide comments.
Speaking on BBC 5 Live Breakfast this morning, Peter Greenberg, aka The Travel Detective, told presenter Rachel Burden that the US faces losing huge tourist revenue if the plans go ahead.
‘We’ve seen a dramatic drop in foreign tourism arrivals through most of 2025 and going into 2026, which may now be compounded by additional immigration and visa rules from the Trump Administration.
The News Travel Editor at CBS said: ‘They’re proposing up to a $15,000 bond to guarantee that when a visit is over, they don’t extend their visa and they come home. How many people can afford that?
‘Adding to that [the bond] is the new proposal that tourists may have to provide five years of social media history that needs to be inspected.
‘Add those things together and you’ll understand already why there’s been a huge drop in inbound travel to the United States this summer, resulting in lost revenue that can never be recouped.’
To avoid unnecessary waits and checks at the airport, ticking all the admin boxes before you get on the plane will make going through the US border less painful.
A spokesperson for ABTA, the UK’s trade organisation for tour operators and travel agents, told the Daily Mail that fans who are determined to make it to the World Cup next summer should apply for the tourist visa, known as the ESTA, now, before booking travel and tickets.
‘Tens of thousands of footie fans will be heading over the Atlantic for the 2026 World Cup to support England, Scotland and hopefully Wales and Ireland as well.
‘UK passport holders travelling to the USA, where the majority of matches will be played, will need an ESTA, which can be applied for online and is valid for two years.
‘Go through the official application site, full details of which, plus other essential information, can be found on the UK Government’s travel advice for the USA.’
They added: ‘It is sensible to consider applying for this before you have booked your travel arrangements.
‘If you are unable to get an ESTA you will need to go in person to apply for a visa, which can take some time.’
Plans for a $250 ‘visa integrity fee’ were also proposed in a provision in July by the US government, although it would be unlikely to affect countries that can access the visa waiver programme, including the UK.
With the World Cup around the corner and the Olympics in two years’ time, the social media proposals announced this week could see tourists swerve the tournament completely, or divert to games in Canada or Mexico instead.
England fan Luke Buxton from Barnsley, and Scotland fan Darius Nesbitt from Bishopston told Radio 5 Live that they’d both already spent time trawling back through their social media accounts.
Nesbitt said: ‘Obviously I’ve been double and triple checking social media and that’ll be my main focus now, including the social media apps I don’t really use anymore.’
The football tournament will kick off on June 11th, with 48 countries participating in 108 matches across 16 cities in the US, Canada and Mexico, with the majority of the games taking place on American soil.
Today’s ballot runs until January 13th, and each household can request up to four tickets per match and a maximum of 40 per tournament.
England, in Group L, will play its first match in Dallas, Texas, against Croatia. Meanwhile, Scotland will compete against Haiti in Boston. The final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19th.
When it comes to tickets, dynamic pricing will come into force for the World Cup, with the cheapest tickets available, for the less enticing group stage matches, starting from £45.
If only the final will do, then expect to dig deep, tickets range from £1,525 to £5,915.
For the knock-out matches, fans should factor in paying from around £79 in the earlier rounds to £2,475 for a semi-final seat.
Football fans preparing to enter the ballot this afternoon said they were already spending time ensuring their social media accounts were in good shape should the US border checks come into force.
How are flight prices looking? Now is the time to book, say experts, with prices still reasonable because tickets haven’t yet been allocated.
Nicholas Smith, holidays digital director at Thomas Cook, said: ‘We know many football fans will want to escape the UK to experience the excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in person – and those who plan ahead can still find great-value deals.’
Currently, you can get return flights to Boston, for example, for just £512 in July 2026.
But costs will go up as we get closer to the tournament. KAYAK UK travel expert Rachel Mumford says: ‘With matches spread across 16 cities in three different countries, smart planning is going to matter more than ever.
‘Our data shows that flights to some key host cities are already more expensive than usual.
‘For example – return flights from the UK to New Jersey (where England will face Panama) are currently averaging £696 – that’s around 20 per cent higher than average during the tournament period.
Read more
- Will England fans face the hardest hit with FIFA’s volatile pricing tactics at the World Cup in the US?
- Is the trip of a lifetime to cheer on England at the World Cup worth a staggering £10,078, and what does that eye-watering total cover?
- Ready to jet off for World Cup 2026? Discover how to snag unbeatable deals on flights and accommodations before prices skyrocket!
- Will eager Scottish fans face visa nightmares and soaring costs for the 2026 World Cup adventure?
- Is FIFA pricing out the everyday fan with exorbitant ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup?
