…175 Visitors Apply For Refugee Protection
…Ghana Records Highest Number With 25 Applicants
…Over 26,000 World Cup Visas Issued By Canadian Authorities
Daud Olatunji
No fewer than 10 Nigerians are among 175 foreign nationals who have applied for asylum in Canada after travelling to the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to official figures released by Canadian immigration authorities.
Data published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showed that, as of July 20, 2026, the asylum seekers had initially entered Canada on temporary residence permits issued for the global football tournament co-hosted by the country.
The IRCC disclosed that 26,111 World Cup-related temporary residence applications were approved before the tournament, with 175 of those visitors later filing refugee claims.
According to the figures, Ghana recorded the highest number of asylum claims, with 25 of its citizens seeking refugee protection after the competition.
Egypt and Colombia each accounted for 15 claims, while Kenya also recorded 15 asylum applications despite its national team not qualifying for the tournament.
Senegal, Nigeria, China and Bangladesh each had 10 nationals applying for asylum, while Ecuador recorded five claims. Burundi, Nepal and Pakistan also had five applicants each.
Canadian authorities said another five asylum claims were filed by travellers who entered the country using electronic travel authorisations rather than visitor visas.
The immigration department noted that the statistics only reflected individuals who specifically identified themselves as FIFA World Cup visitors when submitting their temporary residence applications.
“It is important to note that this data only includes applicants who flagged ‘FIFA World Cup 26’ in their temporary residence applications,” the department stated.
The IRCC added that the number of asylum claims could rise in the coming weeks or months if more visitors overstayed their visas before filing refugee applications.
However, it declined to disclose how many of the asylum seekers were football players, coaches, referees, medical personnel, team officials or members of national team support staff.
Canada, which co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, hosted 13 matches in Toronto and Vancouver during June and July.
Before the tournament, Canadian authorities had warned that visa applications linked to the World Cup would be subjected to strict scrutiny to prevent individuals from using the competition as a route to remain permanently in the country.
Officials also cautioned that visa applications could be rejected or travellers denied entry at Canadian borders if immigration officers believed they had no intention of returning to their home countries after the tournament.
A Canadian immigration consultant quoted by The Globe and Mail said several Ghanaian applicants had their visa requests refused before the World Cup over concerns they might overstay their visits.
Despite the asylum claims, Toronto-based immigration lawyer Stephen Green described the outcome as relatively modest, noting that the 175 refugee applications represented only a small proportion of the more than 26,000 World Cup-related visas issued by Canada.
Ahead of the tournament, Canada temporarily eased immigration requirements for FIFA-accredited personnel, allowing players, coaches, referees, match officials and medical staff to enter the country on visitor visas instead of work permits.
Canada has experienced similar asylum applications after previous major sporting events, including the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2012 London Olympic Games, where athletes, officials and supporters from several countries sought refugee protection after arriving for the competitions.
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