Influencers covering the 2026 World Cup in the United States will not be able to create content for monetization on social media without a work visa, according to a joint statement issued by Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security. The move could affect FIFA’s broadcasting strategy, which includes agreements with multiple international creators on TikTok and YouTube.
In a statement to El País, CBP and DHS said that “coming to the United States with the sole purpose of creating content (as an influencer), thereby generating earnings from the United States while in the country, is considered work and requires the appropriate visa.” The statement specifies that those who do not have a work visa and receive income could be violating the conditions of their immigration status.
The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting events of the year and also a very popular one for social media influencers. The United States will host 78 of the 104 scheduled matches, spread across 11 host cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Atlanta, and San Francisco.
A study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that some 6.5 million people will attend the tournament matches in the host countries. The United States will account for more than half of that figure, with about 3.7 million attendees, many of them foreigners.
In recent months, FIFA announced agreements with platforms such as TikTok and YouTube to expand the reach of the tournament on social media. The deals include the participation of dozens of international influencers who, according to YouTube, will have unprecedented access to World Cup-related matches and activities.
“They won’t just be reacting to the game, they’ll bring a fresh perspective to the FIFA World Cup including human stories, tactical breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes action that further brings to life the legendary tournament as it unfolds,” YouTube’s global head of media and sports, Justin Connolly, wrote on the video-sharing platform’s blog earlier this year.
In the case of TikTok, the agreement with FIFA includes the participation of 30 content creators from 11 countries and 22 cities on four continents. The creators, according to a statement released by the company in May, “represent soccer enthusiasts from everywhere, reflecting the diversity of voices and perspectives that define the game, and extending tournament discovery to fans wherever they are, in the languages and formats that resonate most.”
It is still unclear whether the influencers included in these programs have the necessary documentation to engage in paid activities in the United States.
For creators without a work visa, a possible alternative is the O-1 visa, intended for people with “extraordinary ability” in areas such as the arts, business, science, or sports. Unlike the B1/B2 visa for tourism or business, this visa allows, under certain conditions, professional activities on US territory in exchange for remuneration, including commercial collaborations, promotional tours, and production of content for profit.
Questions remain as to how foreign influencers will be verified as having the appropriate visa to perform their work. It’s also unclear under what conditions these regulations will apply. The El País report suggests that US authorities plan to reinforce inspections at airports and border crossings, in addition to monitoring the digital activity of content creators suspected of violating immigration rules.
This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
