175 Foreign Visitors Seek Asylum in Canada During FIFA World Cup 2026

As of July 20, 2026, a total of 175 foreign visitors who entered Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have submitted asylum claims, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Countries with the highest number of claims include:
• 🇬🇭 Ghana – 25
• 🇨🇳 China – 25
• 🇪🇬 Egypt – 15
• 🇨🇴 Colombia – 15
• 🇰🇪 Kenya – 15
• 🇸🇳 Senegal – 10
• 🇳🇬 Nigeria – 10
• 🇧🇩 Bangladesh – 10
• 🇪🇨 Ecuador – 5
• 🇧🇮 Burundi – 5
• 🇳🇵 Nepal – 5
• 🇵🇰 Pakistan – 5
To accommodate fans traveling for the tournament in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada issued approximately 26,000 temporary visitor visas.
IRCC has not disclosed whether the asylum claims were made by spectators, athletes, coaches, or other team support personnel.
While 175 claims represent less than 1% of the approximately 26,000 visas issued, the figures highlight how major international sporting events can also become opportunities for some visitors to seek protection due to conditions in their home countries.
What are your thoughts? Should major sporting events influence a country’s asylum system, or should asylum claims be treated independently of the reason someone entered the country?