The US is unprepared for the burdens placed on its air travel system when the country hosts the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a report released on Wednesday said.
The US Travel Association, a non-profit that represents the travel industry, commissioned a report written by former government officials and industry experts. The report raises concerns about visas, creaking infrastructure and poor security technology.
The report says that the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, the Ryder Cup this year and celebrations for the US’ 250th birthday could draw in an estimated 40 million visitors to the country.
Photo: Reuters
“We’re not ready to host the upcoming mega decade of events that will draw millions of domestic and international travelers. This poses risks to our national security and hampers economic growth,” the report said.
While US President Donald Trump’s administration has made significant cuts across the government, the US Travel Association said there needs to be investment in visa processing and airport security.
“The president has been outspoken about making this the gold standard of World Cups, the best Olympics that has ever been held,” US Travel Association chief executive officer Geoff Freeman told ESPN. “To do those things, to achieve those goals, you’ve got to make some of these investments.”
Freeman said he had met with White House officials in the past week. He highlighted visa wait times as a particular problem area, with approval times for some countries that might reach the World Cup — such as Colombia — running at nearly two years.
“People want to come, but they’re not coming,” Freeman said. “It gets down to these visa wait times. It gets down to the customs inefficiencies. It gets down to a perception in instances that people aren’t welcome. We’re very concerned.”
The US is to cohost the World Cup with Mexico and Canada, although most of the game would take place in the US. Concerns have also been raised about extreme temperatures players could face during the tournament.
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