A total of 175 foreign nationals who travelled to Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum, with Nigerians among those seeking refugee protection after the global football tournament.
The applications were confirmed by Canada's immigration authorities, who disclosed that the individuals entered the country as World Cup visitors before requesting asylum. According to officials, the applicants had identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors when applying for temporary residence.
Among countries whose national teams participated in the tournament, Ghana recorded the highest number of asylum applications with 25. Egypt and Colombia each had 15 applicants, while Senegal accounted for 10. Ecuador recorded five asylum claims.
For visitors from countries that did not qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup but travelled to Canada during the event, Kenya topped the list with 15 asylum applications. China, Bangladesh and Nigeria each recorded 10 claims, while Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan had five applications each.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also revealed that five additional asylum claims came from travellers who entered the country using electronic travel authorisations instead of temporary resident visas.
Providing an update on the figures, the department said that as of July 20, 2026, 175 asylum claims had been submitted by individuals who previously received FIFA-related temporary residence approvals.
The agency noted that the statistics only cover applicants who indicated "FIFA World Cup 26" in their temporary residence applications.
Officials added that the total number of claims could rise if more visitors remain in Canada beyond the validity of their visas and later apply for refugee protection.
Canada co-hosted the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup with the United States and Mexico, hosting 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver. More than 26,000 visas were issued to visitors connected to the tournament.
Spain emerged as champions after defeating defending champions Argentina in the final.
Asylum claims by nationality:
- Ghana — 25
- Egypt — 15
- Colombia — 15
- Kenya — 15
- Senegal — 10
- China — 10
- Bangladesh — 10
- Nigeria — 10
- Ecuador — 5
- Burundi — 5
- Nepal — 5
- Pakistan — 5
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