Twenty-five Ghanaians who travelled to Canada on visas to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup have filed asylum claims, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The figures, cited in a report by The Globe and Mail, show that Ghanaians recorded the highest number of asylum claims among World Cup visitors who entered Canada on FIFA-related temporary residence visas.
The Black Stars played their opening World Cup match against Panama on June 17 in Toronto, one of the host cities for the tournament.
In total, 175 people who obtained visas linked to the World Cup had submitted asylum claims as of July 20, 2026, IRCC said.
Canada issued about 26,000 visas to visitors attending the 13 World Cup matches hosted in Toronto and Vancouver.
Other African countries also recorded asylum claims among visitors who travelled to Canada for matches. Egypt recorded 15 claims after its game against New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21, while Senegal recorded 10 claims after its match against Iraq in Toronto on June 26.
IRCC said the number of asylum claims could increase as some visitors may remain in Canada beyond the validity of their visas and later seek refugee protection.
“As of July 20, 2026, of the 26,111 individuals with prior FIFA-related approved temporary residence applications, 175 people later submitted asylum claims,” the department said in a statement.
The department, however, did not disclose whether any of the claims involved players, officials or support staff from participating teams.
The report also noted that some asylum claims came from visitors whose countries were not competing at the tournament, including 15 Kenyans, 10 Nigerians, and five nationals each from Burundi and Nepal.
Ahead of the tournament, Canadian authorities warned World Cup visitors that visas could be denied or entry refused if officials believed an applicant was unlikely to leave Canada after the competition.
A Canadian immigration consultant told The Globe and Mail that some Ghanaians who applied to attend World Cup matches were denied visas.
The development follows similar cases during previous major international sporting events. During the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 22 people filed asylum claims, including some Ghanaians, while 82 athletes and officials sought asylum during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
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