The United States and other countries hoping to host the 2026 World Cup must provide government guarantees on visa-free travel plus work permit and tax exemptions for their bids to be accepted.

That’s the word according to documents published by FIFA which state that ease of access to the host country or countries must by no means adversely affect the national immigration and security standards in that country.

The document also says a bidding nation’s government “is requested to guarantee the issuance of valid work permits unconditionally and without any restriction or discrimination of any kind” to people involved in the preparation, organisation and hosting of the tournament.

It further adds that the government “must grant a general tax exemption for FIFA, the 2026 FIFA World Cup entity, the 2026 FIFA world cup subsidiaries (if applicable) and any other FIFA subsidiary limited to the period of preparation,…….. delivery and wrap-up of the competition, commencing on the date of appointment of the host country or countries and ending on December 31, 2028.