COMPLETE ROSTER: Canadians Consider Asylum Bids from 175 World Cup Attendees, Including Nigerian Nationals

A total of 175 visitors to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have sought asylum following the tournament, with 10 of these claims coming from Nigerian nationals, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

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The latest figures, which were published by IRCC as of July 20, 2026, reveal that 175 individuals who identified as FIFA World Cup visitors in their temporary residence applications have since filed asylum claims.

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Canada, which co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Mexico, staged 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver, and issued over 26,000 visas to visitors linked to the tournament.

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Spain emerged victorious in the tournament, defeating defending champions Argentina in the final, but the immigration department has chosen not to disclose the number of asylum seekers who were football players, team officials, support staff, or ordinary fans.

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Ghana has recorded the highest number of asylum claims, with 25 visitors applying for refugee protection after the tournament, followed by Egypt and Colombia, each with 15 claims, and Senegal with 10 claims.

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Ecuador, whose national team participated in matches hosted by Canada, accounted for five asylum claims, while Kenya, a non-participating country, recorded 15 claims, and China, Bangladesh, and Nigeria each had 10 claims.

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Other non-participating countries with significant asylum claims include Burundi, Nepal, and Pakistan, each with five claims, as well as additional claims submitted by travellers who entered Canada using electronic travel authorisations rather than temporary resident visas.

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IRCC has reported that an additional five asylum claims were submitted by travellers who entered Canada using electronic travel authorisations, and the department has noted that the number of claims could still increase if more visitors overstayed their visas and later filed refugee claims.

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Canadian authorities had previously warned that possessing a World Cup match ticket did not guarantee a visa or entry into the country, and that visa applications would be carefully scrutinised to prevent travellers from overstaying their visas.

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According to Canadian immigration consultant Andy Semotiuk, several Ghanaian visa applicants were refused entry permits before the tournament due to concerns that they might remain in Canada, highlighting the effectiveness of Canada's immigration screening process.

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Toronto-based immigration lawyer Stephen Green has described the post-tournament figures as relatively low, given the more than 26,000 visas issued, and attributed this to effective screening by Canadian immigration authorities.

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Canada has experienced similar asylum claims linked to major sporting events in the past, including the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics, with varying numbers of claims from participating and non-participating countries.