JD Vance warns World Cup visitors not to overstay visas: 'When time is up, they'll have to go home'

Vice President JD Vance joked detaining foreign visitors who overstay their welcome during the 2026 World Cup. The United States is hosting next summer along with Canada and Mexico.

"I know we'll have visitors from close to 100 countries, we want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the game," Vance said at the meeting of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday.

"But when the time is up, they'll have to go home, otherwise they'll have to talk to Secretary Noem," he quipped. He was referring to Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem has become the face of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) crackdown on migrants, often joining them on raids as they detain people.


ALSO READ: Trump proposes World Cup as incentive to end Russia-Ukraine war but caught off guard by basic question

US to host soccer World Cup

Next year's soccer World Cup will be held jointly by the US, Canada and Mexico, at a time when international relations with America are particularly strained. On top of several ongoing wars, Trump has implemented widespread tariffs, stoked fears that the U.S. will leave NATO and has begun a massive crackdown on illegal immigration.

ALSO READ: Thank Trump for not getting your dolls: US Treasury Secretary tells girls amid ongoing trade war with China

Around 2 million foreign visitors are expected to come to the U.S. for the World Cup next year, Noem said at the meeting.

“Quite a way to motivate foreign tourists,” Wall Street Journal chief foreign affairs correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov posted to X. “Trying to decide if Vance is our most sycophantic VP of all time,” University of Illinois professor Kate Clancy wrote on Bluesky.

“Please, no one come to the World Cup. We don't deserve your tourism dollars and you don't deserve the dangers.” “Relax on Vance's insane threat to jail international World Cup ticket holders if they don't leave the country immediately rather than stay here and spend tourism money,” Olbermann wrote on X. “Watch. FIFA will be moving the World Cup elsewhere.”

ALSO READ: 'Look at his face': Mark Carney's expressions create buzz online during his meet with Trump. Here's why

Trump said the tournament spoke about how the tournament would generate "tens of billions of dollars in economic activities for local businesses" and "thousands and thousands of jobs for American workers." Trump said the event "will be the biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history."

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in June across the United States, Canada and Mexico, preparations are entering their final phase. In the U.S., cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Dallas and Atlanta are gearing up to host matches, with infrastructure projects nearing completion and security protocols being finalized.

But it was not only JD Vance who issued the stern warning. Transport secretary Sean Duffy also said the same thing when he asked fans to not stay in the US for too long. “If you’re coming to see some soccer ... go on a road trip. See America,” he said before he changed his tone. “Don’t overstay your visa. Don’t stay too long.”