Twenty-five Ghanaians who travelled to Canada in connection with the 2026 FIFA World Cup have applied for asylum, according to figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The IRCC said the applications formed part of 175 asylum claims lodged by foreign nationals who had previously received temporary residence approval to travel to Canada for the tournament, which was jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico. It said temporary residence applications for 26,111 people who indicated they were travelling in connection with the FIFA World Cup had been approved, with 175 subsequently filing asylum claims as of July 20.
The department explained that the figures covered only applicants who identified “FIFA World Cup 26” in their temporary residence applications, noting that the total number of asylum claims associated with the tournament could be higher. Ghana and China each recorded the highest number of claims at 25, followed by Egypt and Colombia with 15 each, while Senegal, Bangladesh and Nigeria recorded 10 each. Ecuador, Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan each had five applicants.
Canadian authorities did not indicate how many of the asylum applicants were football players, team officials, support staff or spectators. The IRCC noted that asylum applications by visitors attending major international sporting events were not uncommon.
The development mirrors a similar occurrence after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, when about 200 Ghanaians reportedly sought asylum, citing religious persecution. Ghanaian authorities at the time dismissed the claims as unfounded.
The Canadian immigration authorities said they continued to process asylum applications submitted by visitors who entered the country under temporary residence permits linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
