175 World Cup Visitors Seek Asylum in Canada, Nigerians Account for 10 Claims

A total of 175 visitors who travelled to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum after the tournament, with Nigerians accounting for 10 of the claims, according to official figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

The figures, published by the IRCC and reported by The Globe and Mail, revealed that as of July 20, 2026, 175 people who identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors in their temporary residence applications later submitted asylum claims.

Canada co-hosted the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, hosting 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver. More than 26,000 visas were issued to visitors associated with the global football event.

The immigration authorities, however, declined to disclose how many of the asylum applicants were players, team officials, support staff or ordinary football fans.

According to the data, Ghana recorded the highest number of asylum claims among participating countries, with 25 visitors seeking refugee protection after the tournament.

Egypt and Colombia each recorded 15 claims, while Senegal accounted for 10 and Ecuador recorded five claims.

Among countries that did not qualify for the tournament but whose citizens travelled to Canada during the competition, Kenya recorded 15 asylum claims. China, Bangladesh and Nigeria each accounted for 10 claims, while Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan recorded five claims each.

The IRCC also disclosed that an additional five asylum applications were submitted by travellers who entered Canada using electronic travel authorisations instead of temporary resident visas.

In a statement, the department said, “As of July 20, 2026, of the 26,111 individuals with prior FIFA-related approved temporary residence applications, 175 people later submitted asylum claims.”

It explained that the statistics only covered applicants who indicated “FIFA World Cup 26” in their temporary residence applications, noting that the figure could still increase if more visitors overstayed and later sought refugee protection.

Before the tournament, Canadian authorities repeatedly warned that possessing a World Cup match ticket did not guarantee a visa or entry into the country.

Officials maintained that visa applications would undergo strict scrutiny and travellers could be denied entry if immigration officers believed they might not leave Canada after the tournament.

Toronto-based immigration lawyer Stephen Green described the number of asylum claims as relatively low compared to the more than 26,000 visas issued, saying it reflected effective immigration screening.