Mamdani admin ‘looking into’ reports that World Cup fans are facing $15,000 visa bond to enter US

By Shane O'Brien

Posted on March 26, 2026

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s “World Cup Czar,” Maya Handa, has said that the city is “looking into” reports that fans of certain teams will be forced to pay up to $15,000 in bond payments just to obtain a tourist visa for the USA this summer.

Tunisia, Senegal, Cape Verde, and the Ivory Coast, which will all compete at the World Cup this summer, are among 50 designated countries where applicants for tourist and business visas are required to pay refundable bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.