OTTAWA — Canadian immigration authorities have confirmed that dozens of African football fans who travelled to the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum after entering on tournament-related temporary visas.
According to figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 25 Ghanaians, 15 Egyptians, 10 Nigerians, 10 Senegalese, and five Burundians have submitted refugee protection claims.
The data show that Ghana recorded the highest number of asylum applications among the African countries listed, followed by Egypt. Nigeria and Senegal each accounted for 10 claims, while Burundi recorded five.
Overall, 175 asylum applications were filed by holders of World Cup-related temporary visas out of more than 26,000 visas approved by Canadian authorities for the tournament.
Canadian officials said each application will be assessed individually under the country’s refugee determination system, with decisions made based on the merits of each case and in accordance with Canadian immigration and refugee laws.
More details are expected as the situation develops.
